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

[Raghar]

After looking under the hood of the game, I'm gonna tell you straight up the modding scene is gonna be bonkers fun.

I hope that modders introduce blacksmithing. The game already drops some metals, but there's nothing to do with them.
Same with gems dropping, but can't make them into rings? Would it be too broken to combine a Scroll of Colour Spray + 5 gems + basis silver ring, to get a Ring of Colour Spray 1x day? I think not. And it would be very convenient to make a ring of Talk to Animals, for example.

There was some crafting UI stuff that didn't make the cut.
Actually there was A LOT of stuff you can tell didn't make the pushed up deadline (Divination/Identifying objects/comprehend languages, more summoning stuff, some companions (like Helia & Sylvira), overland map flight/teleport, more AoE projectile effects, gargantuan monsters, many spells, skills, abilities, passives, flags, tags, endings etc.)

What? They had 6 years for that. Summoning stuff is simple new models animations and few other things. They should add some malus and bonus to summoner based on how many summons he lost.

Crafting is so simple stuff, they even did that in Risen. (And I somehow doubt Risen had larger team.)

Identifying object, comprehend languages, even Solasta did that. I thought they cut it out to streamline the game, and avoid language problems for gith.
Not enough endings might be a problem, considering it has 105+ GB. C'mon, multiple endings are not that difficult with size of team they had.

(post 21 000)

 

[whydoibother]

Any chance that we'll see fully fledged campaign overhauls and different maps?

DOS2 had (bad) modding tools, and got very little. BG3 has no modding tools. So I expect very little.

 

[whydoibother]

What? They had 6 years for that.

Their office flooded, the ceiling started to collapse, COVID-19 happened, they opened a big studio in Russia and then Russia went to war, etc. There's excuses if you look for them, though obviously I wish they delivered on all of these.

 

[Desiderius]

Welp. Just noticed that QStaves are versatile so yeah, Shields for Gale.

 

[Desiderius]

DOS II had some extensive mods that changed things like initiative, the unpopular armor types etc...

 

[Raghar]

What? They had 6 years for that.

Their office flooded, the ceiling started to collapse, COVID-19 happened, they opened a big studio in Russia and then Russia went to war, etc. There's excuses if you look for them, though obviously I wish they delivered on all of these.

CoV-ID-19 was awesome for game development. You had time, you did stuff from home during quarantines, you could relax.

 

[whydoibother]

DOS II had some extensive mods that changed things like initiative, the unpopular armor types etc...

But very few, and very small, custom campaigns. Very little custom interface. It was no NWN. And, unlike this game, it actually attempted it by having a modding kit and DM tools.

 

[whydoibother]

CoV-ID-19 was awesome for game development. You had time, you did stuff from home during quarantines, you could relax.

It was awesome for selling already developed products, it wasn't awesome for developing new products. Many people in fact don't have the setup to work efficiently from home, and if suddenly you, and your wife, and your children, all have to work/study from home, its hard to get it going.
Additionally, many teams are set up for real, in person talks. The managed can't transition from walking to you to explain you, to a chatroom very easily. Maybe you had a board where you doodled things to explain. Maybe you had a culture where 2-4 guys are standing in front of a single monitor to solve an issue by trying stuff. This doesn't translate very well to Zoom calls.

COVID-19 was bad for development cycles and delayed a lot of things.

 

[Grauken]

DOS II had some extensive mods that changed things like initiative, the unpopular armor types etc...

But very few, and very small, custom campaigns. Very little custom interface. It was no NWN. And, unlike this game, it actually attempted it by having a modding kit and DM tools.

This makes me wonder if there is research on why some games with tools develop large modding communities and some don't. I assume it's a combination of how well regarded the main games was and how easy to use the tools are, but still, would be interesting to see some more proper data

 

[PapaPetro]

It's much easier to Git Gud at positioning than at making the computer roll the dice you want.

Not in co-op, and I speak from experience.
Actually already had a hilarious misadventure. We both tried to look a gunpowder sack at the same time, and the game decided to drop it between out characters, in the fire, and it exploded., which also exploded a barrel. Fun times.

After looking under the hood of the game, I'm gonna tell you straight up the modding scene is gonna be bonkers fun.
I can already envision a mod for a custom runepowder/grenadier class that can spawn and lob exploding sachels & barrels.

Also a telekinetic class that just flings shit/people around and into bottomless chasms*.
Super fun. Try it.





*Protip: it's very easy to shove NPCs off ledges. It's the new "Save or Die" spells in 5e.

How moddable is the game actually going to be?
I know D:OS2 had a couple of mods, but I think those were mostly just QOL stuff or custom classes with 'fireball but blue' type spells.
Any chance that we'll see fully fledged campaign overhauls and different maps?

I mean, if you know what to do you can have a blast.


But I'd check out one of those mod sites like Nexus in the meantime.

 

[PapaPetro]

Without proper tools that's very unlikely

The tools are there.
https://fearlessrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13996&p=306939#p306939

Also there's mod support section for help the Larian Discord:

 

[Grauken]

Without proper tools that's very unlikely

The tools are there.
https://fearlessrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13996&p=306939#p306939

NWN had countless mods because their accessible tools helped to convert lots of beginning modders into experts. Something like what you linked won't have the same effect

 

[PapaPetro]

Without proper tools that's very unlikely

The tools are there.
https://fearlessrevolution.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=13996&p=306939#p306939

NWN had countless mods because their accessible tools helped to convert lots of beginning modders into experts. Something like what you linked won't have the same effect

There's some clever modders out there with time and inclination though.
It's just a matter of converting discovered heuristics into an accessible UI and you have a community mod maker.
You might not see this, but it's already in the process and I wouldn't be amazed if something close to NWN modulization became a thing.
Perhaps even a fan Co8 expansion like in ToEE soon; I'm seeing Skyrim levels of enthusiasm from the mod scene.

 

[Grauken]

You might not see this, but it's already in the process and I wouldn't be amazed if something close to NWN modulization became a thing.

Well, I wouldn't mind being wrong on this. New campaigns based on the game engine of BG3 seems like the receipt for some great things, I just wouldn't get my hope up.

 

[PapaPetro]

DOS II had some extensive mods that changed things like initiative, the unpopular armor types etc...

Shares the same enough engine with BG3 which makes modding a lot more streamlined (a lot of the old unpaking tools for DOSII work on BG3)

 

[Yosharian]

Alright friends I have completed my calculations regarding Savage Attacker

So let's look at some examples, all of these calculations are done with Great Weapon Fighting already included (there's slight diminishing returns for SA when this is the case but I took that into account roughly speaking)

Let's say you attack 4 times, using a Trident, with GWM on, that's +40 (10x4) damage if you hit every time

If you attack 4 times, using a Trident, with SA, that's +2.2575 (1.12875x2) damage if you hit every time

Oh snap Savage Attacker is garbo amirite

But wait there's more

SA applies to smites, bonus weapon damage, smite spells, anything that's delivered through your weapon and uses a fucking die roll

So let's look at another example

I walk up to some bitch and slap him for 1D8 (trident) + 1D6 (thunder) + 5D8 (megasmite using 4th-level slot) + 1D4 (Drakethroat Glaive buff)

That's 1.12875 + 0.84 + 5.64375 + 0.525 = 8.1375

SA just added over 8 damage to my attack for free, no attack roll penalty

Let's say I use my bonus action to upcast Branding Smite with a 5th-level spell slot (Sorcadin can do this at level 12), that's 5D6 which SA is going to add +4.2 damage to

So two attacks with two megasmites and finished off with an upcast Branding Smite would get +20.475 damage added by SA

The same attack sequence with Great Weapon Master would add... +20 damage. SA just outperformed GWM.. for free.

Of course if you're hasted then you do 4 attacks then GWM starts to outperform it again (40 damage vs 36.75 damage) and also you don't have enough spell slots to put out 4 megasmites anyway (one of them would be a 4D8) and also you're dumping your entire fucking arsenal to do this damage BUT GWM has a -5 penalty soooo

Anyway Savage Attacker gud on paladin guys

 

[Shrimp]

DOS II had some extensive mods that changed things like initiative, the unpopular armor types etc...

But very few, and very small, custom campaigns. Very little custom interface. It was no NWN. And, unlike this game, it actually attempted it by having a modding kit and DM tools.

This makes me wonder if there is research on why some games with tools develop large modding communities and some don't. I assume it's a combination of how well regarded the main games was and how easy to use the tools are, but still, would be interesting to see some more proper data

I think ease of use is the biggest factor because it lets people who are passionate about it or interested in creating custom campaigns do their stuff regardless of how many other people that will play it.
Solasta's not exactly a big title in the CRPG sphere but as far as I know it has lots of campaign mods, overhauls etc. because the tools are easy to use.

 

[Raghar]

CoV-ID-19 was awesome for game development. You had time, you did stuff from home during quarantines, you could relax.

It was awesome for selling already developed products, it wasn't awesome for developing new products. Many people in fact don't have the setup to work efficiently from home, and if suddenly you, and your wife, and your children, all have to work/study from home, its hard to get it going.
Additionally, many teams are set up for real, in person talks. The managed can't transition from walking to you to explain you, to a chatroom very easily. Maybe you had a board where you doodled things to explain. Maybe you had a culture where 2-4 guys are standing in front of a single monitor to solve an issue by trying stuff. This doesn't translate very well to Zoom calls.

COVID-19 was bad for development cycles and delayed a lot of things.

Or people who are doing university level of work should be able to show higher skills, and be able to work alone, as needed. Frankly programing requires people with IQ 110+ and ability invent their own working solutions. If these people would suddenly fail just because they had to be separated for few months... I wonder what they would do few decades ago when they would be faced by great merge.

If you said people who live in apartment and their neighbors decided to do a house renovation. I would understand, that's stuff that damages work efficiency. But frankly wife, children all around your neck, that's common occurence. They typically keep you working for 5 hours and then they do theirs own distracting stuff. But, you still have 5 hours you can concentrate. And frankly, softeware engineers should do programming instead of yapping theirs mouth.

Cooperating with development studio in different country is another matter, especially when it seems that Larian changed story and theirs requirements during the process. But, this game is still basically Divinity OS, you have one map where you can do something, and it could have most detailed story. You have second map, which might be better because first map was viewed as introduction, and you have failed development process on third map. Aka they never thought how they would properly end the story.

So yea, Larian game. As long as people gets bored and play only two first maps, it's fine.

 

[whydoibother]

CoV-ID-19 was awesome for game development. You had time, you did stuff from home during quarantines, you could relax.

It was awesome for selling already developed products, it wasn't awesome for developing new products. Many people in fact don't have the setup to work efficiently from home, and if suddenly you, and your wife, and your children, all have to work/study from home, its hard to get it going.
Additionally, many teams are set up for real, in person talks. The managed can't transition from walking to you to explain you, to a chatroom very easily. Maybe you had a board where you doodled things to explain. Maybe you had a culture where 2-4 guys are standing in front of a single monitor to solve an issue by trying stuff. This doesn't translate very well to Zoom calls.

COVID-19 was bad for development cycles and delayed a lot of things.

Or people who are doing university level of work should be able to show higher skills, and be able to work alone, as needed. Frankly programing requires people with IQ 110+ and ability invent their own working solutions. If these people would suddenly fail just because they had to be separated for few months... I wonder what they would do few decades ago when they would be faced by great merge.

If you said people who live in apartment and their neighbors decided to do a house renovation. I would understand, that's stuff that damages work efficiency. But frankly wife, children all around your neck, that's common occurence. They typically keep you working for 5 hours and then they do theirs own distracting stuff. But, you still have 5 hours you can concentrate. And frankly, softeware engineers should do programming instead of yapping theirs mouth.

Cooperating with development studio in different country is another matter, especially when it seems that Larian changed story and theirs requirements during the process. But, this game is still basically Divinity OS, you have one map where you can do something, and it could have most detailed story. You have second map, which might be better because first map was viewed as introduction, and you have failed development process on third map. Aka they never thought how they would properly end the story.

So yea, Larian game. As long as people gets bored and play only two first maps, it's fine.

That's a load of shit, and you are unfamiliar with software development.
I experienced going from the office to working from home, and productivity plummeted sharply, for a variety of reasons. It slowly crawled upwards as we adapted, and reached a reasonable level, but there definitely was time lost due to COVID-19. You are flat wrong.

 

[Barbarian]

What is the "custom" button that appears on some equipment for? Clicking it has no effect in all items I tried.

I imagine something to do with armor and clothes that wasn't implemented?

 

[lukaszek]

ive red that if you side with goblins then tiefling origin

Spoiler

heart will explode, thus you lose companion.

how does it work though if you play as one? you lose the game later on? Or above statement is not true at all?

One of the thieflings is the only

Spoiler

infernal smith that can repair that condition so yeah, you'll lose her. She was a ticking bomb when you met her. Also she is a goody two shoes, so killing innocent thieflings probably too much for her also.

Also that thiefling is one of the shopkeepers that travels where we go all along the game so investing in his favor is good for the long run.

but what happens if PC is her? You play for 50 more hours and then instant death?




other question:
if I wanted emu girl to be x cleric / x rogue, what would be best split?

 

[Raghar]

ive red that if you side with goblins then tiefling origin

Spoiler

heart will explode, thus you lose companion.

how does it work though if you play as one? you lose the game later on? Or above statement is not true at all?

One of the thieflings is the only

Spoiler

infernal smith that can repair that condition so yeah, you'll lose her. She was a ticking bomb when you met her. Also she is a goody two shoes, so killing innocent thieflings probably too much for her also.

Also that thiefling is one of the shopkeepers that travels where we go all along the game so investing in his favor is good for the long run.

but what happens if PC is her? You play for 50 more hours and then instant death?




other question:
if I wanted emu girl to be x cleric / x rogue, what would be best split?

Roleplay and remember clerics are not compatible with rogue.
Remember old DnD.
Classes: Fighter/Mage, Fighter/Cleric/Mage, Cleric/Mage. Fighter/Thief.

Giver her sleight of hand gloves, and some amulets, and she would do fine without rogue levels.

 

[Desiderius]

She already has Trickster Domain.

 

[PapaPetro]

if I wanted emu girl to be x cleric / x rogue, what would be best split?

I-isn't that just Shadowheart?

 

[Barbarian]

It would be cleric9/thief3 but it is not worth it and makes no sense. You will lose powerful spell slots in exchange for extra bonus action, sneak attack 2s6, 1 extra skill proficiency and expertise.