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

[Haplo]

Anyone playing an Assassin or other DEX character? I'm curious how often you win initiative. Tactician if possible.

I don't. But noticed there's a +5 Initiative feat...

 

[Grunker]

Anyone playing an Assassin or other DEX character? I'm curious how often you win initiative. Tactician if possible.

I don't. But noticed there's a +5 Initiative feat...

With Alert you can basically guarantee winning it. There are also items that give +initiative. My high dex character wins 80% of the time by virtue of his dex alone.

 

[Jermu]

Can somebody explain stealing to me?
Each time I successfully pickpocket someone or get a red item from hide, a guard spawns seconds later and accuses me of thievery.
Looks either broken or there is some unexplained mechanic at work here?

I have not stolen much but think you can steal gold without alerting
also you can do classical steal and drop

before release I had a feeling alert is going to be the best feat in the game and I still think so

 

[Irxy]

Made a bit of research and stealing seems to work like this:
NPCs always detect that something was stolen and if they see a PC nearby they accuse him.
So you are basically supposed to 1) keep your chars aside from the thief far away from the target 2) after stealing don't leave hide before moving away from the target 3) after some time the npc should stop looking for a thief.
Or at least it is supposed to work like that, people report the system is glitchy and unreliable and can have unexpected consequences.
Reported during the whole EA and apparently rever fixed.

 

[Yosharian]

Anyone playing an Assassin or other DEX character? I'm curious how often you win initiative. Tactician if possible.

I don't. But noticed there's a +5 Initiative feat...

Yes, I'm trying to determine the value of that feat on a class such as Assassin where going first is a priority.

Though, I guess those classes open from Stealth anyway so maybe they don't need it.

 

[conan_edw]

AH, I figured out why I lose the bonus action when attacking with main hand. Apparantly it auto-uses dual wielding and attacks automatically with offhand. Kind of shit, and I see no way to turn it off?

You might have figured it already but there's a dual wielding toggle below the weapon slot of the in-game HUD

Really? Will have to check when I get home. It turns off the automation? Does it then also turn off the OP AoOs?

Yes you'd be able to use your bonus action to either attack again by the dedicated off hand skill/button or use any other bonus action.
I have my AoO always ask me before executing from the reaction screen.

 

[Grunker]

AH, I figured out why I lose the bonus action when attacking with main hand. Apparantly it auto-uses dual wielding and attacks automatically with offhand. Kind of shit, and I see no way to turn it off?

You might have figured it already but there's a dual wielding toggle below the weapon slot of the in-game HUD

Really? Will have to check when I get home. It turns off the automation? Does it then also turn off the OP AoOs?

Yes you'd be able to use your bonus action to either attack again by the dedicated off hand skill/button or use any other bonus action.
I have my AoO always ask me before executing from the reaction screen.

1) So if I understand you correctly, this button enables me to attack main hand - off hand separately, yes?

2) You misunderstood. Right now the game lets you attack with both main- and offhand on AoOs. This isn't RAW. Does this turn off if you turn off the option you're suggesting?

 

[Grunker]

Anyone playing an Assassin or other DEX character? I'm curious how often you win initiative. Tactician if possible.

I don't. But noticed there's a +5 Initiative feat...

Yes, I'm trying to determine the value of that feat on a class such as Assassin where going first is a priority.

Though, I guess those classes open from Stealth anyway so maybe they don't need it.

There are fights you can't stealth-open. They're uncommon, but exist.

Also, note that Stealth-open doesn't make you win initiative. It just gives you the first action in a surprise-round. After that round, it's normal initiative roll for every1.

 

[jackofshadows]

before release I had a feeling alert is going to be the best feat in the game and I still think so

For an assassin - sure, I imagine. Otherwise - nah. First, like Grunker said, high dex/lvl char will win most initiative rolls anyway. Second, for most fights you can get surprise round although that's let's say Wasteland 3 predicament: yes you can trivialize the whole game by doing so but why would you do that when the game isn't hard enough for that and also skip many cutscenes if you care about them that is. Third - there's a potion (not too rare at all) which gives you +5 initiative. Yes, you won't always know there's an ambush ahead but when it's something major - the game itself explicitly will say that to you.

 

[jackofshadows]

Suggestions for picks? Very happy with the previous choices but now I'm scraching my head a little. Dices will become d10s on 10 lvl yes? Read it somewhere. So far thinking evasive footwork/disarming attack.

 

[Grunker]

Suggestions for picks? Very happy with the previous choices but now I'm scraching my head a little. Dices will become d10s on 10 lvl yes? Read it somewhere. So far thinking evasive footwork/disarming attack.

I find myself using Precision Attack 99% of the time.

Trip Attack has impressed me, though. Makes them easier to hit and crit.

 

[Grunker]

And yes, Evasive Footwork is good. You rarely use it but when you do it’s decent

 

[conan_edw]

AH, I figured out why I lose the bonus action when attacking with main hand. Apparantly it auto-uses dual wielding and attacks automatically with offhand. Kind of shit, and I see no way to turn it off?

You might have figured it already but there's a dual wielding toggle below the weapon slot of the in-game HUD

Really? Will have to check when I get home. It turns off the automation? Does it then also turn off the OP AoOs?

Yes you'd be able to use your bonus action to either attack again by the dedicated off hand skill/button or use any other bonus action.
I have my AoO always ask me before executing from the reaction screen.

1) So if I understand you correctly, this button enables me to attack main hand - off hand separately, yes?

2) You misunderstood. Right now the game lets you attack with both main- and offhand on AoOs. This isn't RAW. Does this turn off if you turn off the option you're suggesting?

1) Yes

2) Oh I understood now. I have to double check but I always assumed it was a single attack. I noticed some animations use the 2 weapons even though the calculated value is for one attack for example my rogue jumps and attack with both short swords when using sneak attack on a sleeping enemy but I might have to double check the calculations as well.

 

[Grunker]

AH, I figured out why I lose the bonus action when attacking with main hand. Apparantly it auto-uses dual wielding and attacks automatically with offhand. Kind of shit, and I see no way to turn it off?

You might have figured it already but there's a dual wielding toggle below the weapon slot of the in-game HUD

Really? Will have to check when I get home. It turns off the automation? Does it then also turn off the OP AoOs?

Yes you'd be able to use your bonus action to either attack again by the dedicated off hand skill/button or use any other bonus action.
I have my AoO always ask me before executing from the reaction screen.

1) So if I understand you correctly, this button enables me to attack main hand - off hand separately, yes?

2) You misunderstood. Right now the game lets you attack with both main- and offhand on AoOs. This isn't RAW. Does this turn off if you turn off the option you're suggesting?

1) Yes

2) Oh I understood now. I have to double check but I always assumed it was a single attack. I noticed some animations use the 2 weapons even though the calculated value is for one attack for example my rogue jumps and attack with both short swords when using sneak attack on a sleeping enemy but I might have to double check the calculations as well.

1) cool, thx

2) AoOs definitely attacks with both weapons for me, I’ve checked the log

 

[volklore]

Hmm not sure what to pick as barb subclass. Zerker has that enraged throw ability that looks quite cool with tavern brawler but the later subclass features are quite meh. Wolf wildheart is also very tempting to run a martial lawnmowing team. Animal aspects abilities also have pretty cool effects.

 

[Haplo]

Seems like Zerker is generally regarded as strongest with the extra attack...

 

[Jermu]

before release I had a feeling alert is going to be the best feat in the game and I still think so

For an assassin - sure, I imagine. Otherwise - nah. First, like Grunker said, high dex/lvl char will win most initiative rolls anyway. Second, for most fights you can get surprise round although that's let's say Wasteland 3 predicament: yes you can trivialize the whole game by doing so but why would you do that when the game isn't hard enough for that and also skip many cutscenes if you care about them that is. Third - there's a potion (not too rare at all) which gives you +5 initiative. Yes, you won't always know there's an ambush ahead but when it's something major - the game itself explicitly will say that to you.

getting first turn lets say even 30% of more frequently would make that feat worth it because most of fights last couple turns + first turn is of course the most important one and decides most of fights

also fights that start with being surprised / enemies have high initiative are probably the hardest fights anyway so rather focus on those than trash fights you can cheese with surprise attack I have not done this too much stealth exploring is pretty gay

guess if you start pretty much every fight with surprise round then yeah its not that good feat

 

[AwesomeButton]

See @AwesomeButton @Swen it’s really not irregular. And the game fully expects you to do both Underdark and Mountain, because there are necessary companion quests in both areas.

You know what you are talking about better than me, because you've played through it, and I'm looking to avoid spoilers. But put yourself in the DM's shoes - the party is ready to progress to the next chapter, but they want to explore the remainig areas, what do you do? In a PnP you would do this or that, but in BG3, the designer has decicided to leave the areas as they were, not scale up, not close down anything. Maybe he would scale up challenge in the next chapter, if it was PnP, but he can't do that either in BG3. So maybe, while the game expects you to do both Underdark and the Mountain, you're stretching things a bit by going there if you are already at lvl 5? I can't judge that yet.

I've found both the mountain pass and at least one entrance to the Underdark, but they were both pretty well defined as an "out of the way" locations.

BTW, how did the goblin camp turn out for you, and how did you fail to pass it diplomatically? I'm curious. In my game I found a way to sneak into the temple open balcony, and from there I snuck up behind the main hall, then started killing goblins group by group, and worked my way back to the courtyard, but I never tried to talk to anyone. After I killed the first of the three True Souls, the groups around the other two were hostile by default, i.e. the crime system reaction was no longer kicking in when I would attack them.

 

[Grunker]

See @AwesomeButton @Swen it’s really not irregular. And the game fully expects you to do both Underdark and Mountain, because there are necessary companion quests in both areas.

I've found both the mountain pass and at least one entrance to the Underdark, but they were both pretty well defined as an "out of the way" locations.

You'll see when you get there. The game 100% expects you to do both of these. You'll miss out on a couple massive story interactions and potentially companion story progression if you don't. There are also non-obligatory "main quests" in both areas that contain a ton of stuff integral to the plot. Such as

Spoiler

the encounter with Vlaakith and the following interaction with your Guardian.

The game just doesn't require you to do both.

Whether overleveling or just not being able to accomodate for underleveling is the issue (the game does warn you if you go there at too low level, so I mean, they would be within there rights to make that accomodation), the issue remains. There should have been a difficulty above Tactician, and it should primarily have been balanced by just adding more mobs to every encounter (turning the action economy against the player is incredibly powerful the way 5E is designed, so even just a few extra mobs per encounter would make a big difference).

how did you fail to pass it diplomatically?

I didn't fail anything. The priestess can be killed in her quarters, and even without stealth you can avoid her calling the guards by casting Silence. Minthara doesn't even call for help, so that's an easy dispatch. However no matter if you kill Hobgoblin with a bazooka from 500 miles range, the entire base will turn hostile the moment he dies. That's just the way the place is coded.

 

[AwesomeButton]

I didn't fail anything. The priestess can be killed in her quarters, and even without stealth you can avoid her calling the guards by casting Silence. Minthara doesn't even call for help, so that's an easy dispatch. However no matter if you kill Hobgoblin with a bazooka from 500 miles range, the entire base will turn hostile the moment he dies. That's just the way the place is coded.

So it was possible to save Halsin and leave the place without any commotion, but you also wanted to kill the True Souls?

(I've already saved Halsin, don't worry about spoiling that)

 

[Grunker]

I didn't fail anything. The priestess can be killed in her quarters, and even without stealth you can avoid her calling the guards by casting Silence. Minthara doesn't even call for help, so that's an easy dispatch. However no matter if you kill Hobgoblin with a bazooka from 500 miles range, the entire base will turn hostile the moment he dies. That's just the way the place is coded.

So it was possible to save Halsin and leave the place without any commotion, but you also wanted to kill the True Souls?

Huh? No? Unless I failed a hidden check or missed something (but I kindda doubt it, the game was very adamant on this point?), the only reason I even set out to kill the three leaders is because I couldn't progress without either that or allying with them.

 

[volklore]

Seems like Zerker is generally regarded as strongest with the extra attack...

The thing I don't really like with zerker is that the rage bonuses can't be used on the turn you start your rage since rage take the bonus action. Though Idk how much that matters. With wolf-heart you can rage and then get another martial to go to town on stuff.
Admittedly I don't know how much that first turn oomf is needed in this game.

 

[Grunker]

Seems like Zerker is generally regarded as strongest with the extra attack...

The thing I don't really like with zerker is that the rage bonuses can't be used on the turn you start your rage. Though Idk how much that matters. With wolf-heart you can rage and then get Lae'zel to go to town on stuff.
Admitedly I don't know how much that first turn oomf is needed in this game.

Most fights last only a couple of turns. There significant expections, but I'd say most of my fights last 2, maybe 3 turns, on average.

 

[AwesomeButton]

Huh? No? Unless I failed a hidden check, the only reason I even set out to kill the three leaders is because I couldn't progress without either that or allying with them.

Based on my experience, I'm sure it's possible to free Halsin without ever meeting any one of the three. It kind of makes sense that if you present yourself to them, they won't let you just leave if you decide you don't want to join them. So, join or fight, seems logical. But I'm curious what would happen if they are still there alive and you are back at the grove talking to Halsin.

 

[Grunker]

Huh? No? Unless I failed a hidden check, the only reason I even set out to kill the three leaders is because I couldn't progress without either that or allying with them.

Based on my experience, I'm sure it's possible to free Halsin without ever meeting any one of the three.

Halsin literally won't move from the spot if they aren't dead. All his dialogue demand their deaths, even if you haven't met them. So how?