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What's the best way to learn to play Baldurs Gate 3?

Yoshichan

And they made him a Lord of Cinder. Not for virtue, but for might. Such is a lord, I suppose. But here I ask. Do we have a sodding chance?
1. Not clear but it would be nice

2. A large healthpool and the possibility of ruining the contents

3. You can hover the cursor over any friendly or enemy to check health status

4. Hovering over the option only tells you what bonuses you may have. Best to learn your strengths before attempting certain options in conversation

5. Using the bonus action "jump" does allow you to simultaneously use movement before the jump...just use your cursor to indicate at which point in your movement path you'd like to jump

6. Not sure, but I would assume not infinite.

7. There are stats to improve accuracy which might help. BLindness is a hard debuff against accuracy after all. It may not affect magic as much as an arrow, for example.

8. There are some attacks that can do more damage if done from behind. Typically in DOS2 it was only really rogues who could take advantage of backstabs.

9. I would assume the level of your magic is what matters. The stronger lvl you cast the spell at, the greater the effect/stronger your thrall should be.

10. There is fishing

11. Usually carry big rocks require mental ability, not necessarily strength...at least that's how it was in DOS2...there were things you could move with strength but typically giant heavy things required levels into telekinesis. There is the equivalent of telekinesis in BG3, I forget what it's called though.

Hope this helps.
What a legend <3 Thanks so much!
 

Fredrik

Member
I've only briefly played the game years ago. Not enough to be informed.
More experienced than me, I played BG1 a lot back in the days, loved it, still have a box, but haven’t even touched BG2 🫣

Thinking about trying BG2 Enhanced Edition to warm up my DnD skills. Just creating a character can be a hurdle, there is so many parameters and choices to think about.
 
Play the game for fun and don't get caught to much into the perfect build...they can be as complex as you want or simple as you want. Lower the difficulty or play on hard..when i first played DOS 2 i just played a spamming ass summoner and it was fun as hell. Didn't really have a superb build but it was fun and thats what matters the most.
 

thuGG_pl

Member
I didn't play BG1 and BG2. I plan to learn as I go. There is a respec option, so I won't fuck myself completely.
The hard part is deciding to play with custom character or origin one, then to Dark Urge or not.
 

Hudo

Member
Just do what I always do in Arcanum: All points into charisma and bullshit your way into or out of everything.


You can even talk the "bad guy" into killing himself. Much like the Master in Fallout.
 
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Never played BG before, but I'm jumping in.

May The Fourth Be With You Do It GIF by Star Wars
 
Just play it on easy mode its fine, its not supposed to be dark souls. Also, one save slot and no save scumming. Thats where the magic happens with crpg. Live with your choices.
 

Hemingwayoffbase

Gold Member
The basic premise of tabletop gaming is that you state what you want your character to do, and you then roll dice to see if that action succeeded. Builds revolve around adding points to each roll to help you succeed.

For example, let’s say you want to grapple an enemy. You would say that, and then roll a 20-sided die. You may need to roll a 17 or higher to succeed.

Now let’s say you rolled a 15. This isn’t enough to succeed on the action. But if your character has a high strength score, they might get +3 to strength checks (such as grappling) so your roll of a 15 would actually count as an 18,
and you would, therefore, successfully grapple the enemy.

Also if we’re doing OT ideas, here’s mine:

Baldur’s Gate 3 OT: Bear and Back Again
 
Off subject a bit, but I never played BG either. Are the stories related in a meaningful way, or is it more similar to Final Fantasy where each game is its own universe?
Bg 2 is a direct sequel and I think carries forward your char from Bg 1 (never played either, just from reputation. Actually started getting into crpg with Neverwinter Nights and KotoR).
Bg 3 is a soft reboot.
 

Ar¢tos

Member
You should, because it's a great game, but not as some sort of gameplay prep for BG3. They're worlds apart gameplay wise. Better off trying DoS as long as OP has a few dozen hours to burn before BG3.
DOS1 or DOS2?
I have DOS1, but never got to play it. Maybe it's time to stop delaying...
 

IntentionalPun

Ask me about my wife's perfect butthole
I've tried several cRPG's as they call them and REALLLLY wanted to get into them, but always fail as I get bored.

Will probably try again with BG3, we'll see how far I get.

For those that know, how close to something like Pillars of Eternity is BG3 from a gameplay perspective?
 

AV

We ain't outta here in ten minutes, we won't need no rocket to fly through space
DOS1 or DOS2?
I have DOS1, but never got to play it. Maybe it's time to stop delaying...

I've only actually played 1 because it was so fucking good that I've been saving 2 for a time when I'm getting fed up of games and need a pick-me-up.
 
The rules for AD&D are more complex (and most importantly very different) than 5e, which is much more streamlined in my opinion. With this mind, it’s probably not a great idea to learn all the rules for BG1 and 2 (which both use AD&D rules) and just play BG3 instead.

BG1 and 2 are excellent games in their own right though. Definitely don’t play them just to prep for BG3 though.
 
I've tried several cRPG's as they call them and REALLLLY wanted to get into them, but always fail as I get bored.

Will probably try again with BG3, we'll see how far I get.

For those that know, how close to something like Pillars of Eternity is BG3 from a gameplay perspective?
Not even close to similar. BG3 will be more similar to Divinity Original Sin 2 but with a different rule set.

Pillars of Eternity is closer to Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 but has different rules.
 
I've tried several cRPG's as they call them and REALLLLY wanted to get into them, but always fail as I get bored.

Will probably try again with BG3, we'll see how far I get.

For those that know, how close to something like Pillars of Eternity is BG3 from a gameplay perspective?
Pillars 2 is phenomenal.
The incredible world building made giddy with RPG glee.
The voice acting and RPG mechanics really sell it too.
Another great thing about Pillars 2 - it has both turn-based AND RTWP. But it sets the game up respectively, so you can't swap mid-playthrough.
 
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Not even close to similar. BG3 will be more similar to Divinity Original Sin 2 but with a different rule set.

Pillars of Eternity is closer to Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2 but has different rules.
So is it really not going to be like the old Infinity Engine games at all then? Not sure what you mean. I've never played DOS at all, but I was recently playing Pillars of Eternity for the first time (on said Infinity Engine kick) and it feels pretty close to the old games I agree. At a glance DOS looks similar and it's been recommended to me, but what really sets them apart and how is that reflected in BG3? So DOS is nothing like them either?
 
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Hemingwayoffbase

Gold Member
So is it really not going to be like the old Infinity Engine games at all then? Not sure what you mean. I've never played DOS at all, but I was recently playing Pillars of Eternity for the first time (on said Infinity Engine kick) and it feels pretty close to the old games I agree. At a glance DOS looks similar and it's been recommended to me, but what really sets them apart and how is that reflected in BG3? So DOS is nothing like them either?
DOS is very close in spirit and in overall aesthetic. The main difference is in the combat.

Baldurs Gate 1 and 2, and well as Pillars of Eternity 1 are Real-time with pause (RTWP). This means your characters run at each other and just start attacking, and your role as the player is mostly to call the plays for the characters and only stop the action when it’s absolutely necessary. Entire battles can play out with zero input from the player this way.

DOS 1 and 2 and Baldurs Gate 3 are turn-based combat. This means when combat begins, everything stops and you make each individual choice for all of your characters (such as where to move and what actions to take). This is a slower type of combat overall, but it’s much closer to the actual Dungeons and Dragons table top style of play.
 
DOS is very close in spirit and in overall aesthetic. The main difference is in the combat.

Baldurs Gate 1 and 2, and well as Pillars of Eternity 1 are Real-time with pause (RTWP). This means your characters run at each other and just start attacking, and your role as the player is mostly to call the plays for the characters and only stop the action when it’s absolutely necessary. Entire battles can play out with zero input from the player this way.

DOS 1 and 2 and Baldurs Gate 3 are turn-based combat. This means when combat begins, everything stops and you make each individual choice for all of your characters (such as where to move and what actions to take). This is a slower type of combat overall, but it’s much closer to the actual Dungeons and Dragons table top style of play.
Oh wow, I had no idea. Thanks. Guess Ill have to try DOS and see how I feel about it.
 

StereoVsn

Member
You can respec from early on in BG3, so you shouldn't stress too much over rolling the perfect character from the start. Also there are no random stat rolls in the character generator, unlike in BG2 where you could sit there for a half hour trying to get the best attribute score rolls.
If on PC there is a built in cheat to roll all 18s :). I will kind of admit of using that a time or three.

Edit: To prepare folks should play BG 1&2, D:OS 2 (plain better vs first game), POE2 (1 is boring) and finally Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous (sincerely recommend this game as it's simply amazing).

Then if after about 400 hours of CRPGs you are ready for the epic follow up, jump into BG 3! 😅😂😉
 
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darrylgorn

Member
From what I've played, the game is very user friendly.

Go in with the expectation of a fun narrative with almost xcom like combat. If you're ever curious about a mechanic, don't stress, just google it.
 

peish

Member
for someone more in jrpg, can i say BG games are loosely like a mainstream FF + FFT roll in one. you have the overworld exploration and the random encounters are more a slow burn

those who played BG3 ea, what's it doing that made some developers fearing for a gta anomaly?
 

Guilty_AI

Member
for someone more in jrpg, can i say BG games are loosely like a mainstream FF + FFT roll in one. you have the overworld exploration and the random encounters are more a slow burn
Speaking of BG3 specifically (there are some differences to the older ones), gameplay wise its closer to FF Tactics as terrain is a big part of the turn based combat. No random encounters, all encounters are handcrafted. Levels are larger and more intrinsically designed than FF levels, and the 'combat mode' still takes place in them, no separate level/screen for when a fight starts.

those who played BG3 ea, what's it doing that made some developers fearing for a gta anomaly?
Sheer scale. Its CRPG levels of depth with The Witcher 3 levels of production, and even some immersive-sim elements. Only Bethesda still makes those and their games tend to have terrible writing and mechanics, not to mention they're more like a sandbox game than a proper rpg campaign.
 

RECTALTORMENT

Neo Member
IMO... As a tabletop gamer for 15 years, just jump in, and have fun. Trust me, some of your most memorable/funny/awesome moments will come from sudden flashes of inspiration when creating a build, or during combat. Just do your own thing.
 

sigmaZ

Member
I've been doing a lot of reading and watching videos for the upcoming Baldurs Gate 3 game and I am excited to play what looks to be an incredible adventure. The plethora of choices in questing, the in-depth character customization, the "bang for your buck" amount of content.. I could go on and on. It looks like it could have everything I would want in a game.

There is just one problem. I have never played a Baldurs Gate game before. Even searching YouTube hasn't led me to a source for understanding the complexity of the game. I see a lot of videos describing classes and tips, but not a general explanation of how the game actually plays. Also of note, I have never played a tabletop RPG game before. I saw at the GameStop website that Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 were made for the PS4... But with the game coming out in a little over a month (PS5 here), I wonder if it is even worth trying to hunt down a copy.

Is anybody aware of a great source where I can learn the mechanics of the game and try to get a grasp for what I am doing. I would hate to make terrible decisions at the start due to general incompetence. Even a great source on YouTube that I may have missed in my searching would be helpful.
Play like you are going into a tabletop. Imagine a character that you want to be and how that person would live and act in the world and then make a character that matches that vision. This will help guide you in your social decisions throughout the game. I have a few character archetypes I usually have in my pocket for anytime I have to make an RPG character.
 

geary

Member
If on PC there is a built in cheat to roll all 18s :). I will kind of admit of using that a time or three.

Edit: To prepare folks should play BG 1&2, D:OS 2 (plain better vs first game), POE2 (1 is boring) and finally Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous (sincerely recommend this game as it's simply amazing).

Then if after about 400 hours of CRPGs you are ready for the epic follow up, jump into BG 3! 😅😂😉
You'll get 400 hours only from Pathfinder WotR and DOS2 :)))
 

tamago84

Member
If there isn't a bear reference in the OT title I'm going to riot.

Baldurs Gate 3 [OT] Grin and bear it
Baldurs Gate 3 [OT] How will we bear 17,000 endings?
Baldurs Gate 3 [OT] Bear of the dark urge
Baldurs Gate 3 [OT] The right to bear arms
Baldurs Gate 3 [OT] You'll bearly have time for anything else
Baldurs Gate 3 [OT] Obsidian who? Hold my bear
Baldurs Gate 3 [OT] An industry mauled by a belgian bear
The bear necessities
 

Cyberpunkd

Member
I've been doing a lot of reading and watching videos for the upcoming Baldurs Gate 3 game and I am excited to play what looks to be an incredible adventure. The plethora of choices in questing, the in-depth character customization, the "bang for your buck" amount of content.. I could go on and on. It looks like it could have everything I would want in a game.

There is just one problem. I have never played a Baldurs Gate game before. Even searching YouTube hasn't led me to a source for understanding the complexity of the game. I see a lot of videos describing classes and tips, but not a general explanation of how the game actually plays. Also of note, I have never played a tabletop RPG game before. I saw at the GameStop website that Baldurs Gate 1 and 2 were made for the PS4... But with the game coming out in a little over a month (PS5 here), I wonder if it is even worth trying to hunt down a copy.

Is anybody aware of a great source where I can learn the mechanics of the game and try to get a grasp for what I am doing. I would hate to make terrible decisions at the start due to general incompetence. Even a great source on YouTube that I may have missed in my searching would be helpful.
Have you played Divinity Original Sun? Because it’s the same game, just with BG cost. The original games are totally different.
 

Fools idol

Banned
As amazing as it is, I would not recommend wrath of the righteous for 'new' players because;

1. It's brutal even on normal dififcuties
2. It's dense as hell systems wise, it takes 30-40 hours of research to understand all the systems from the go and even then it's hard to follow.
3. It's extremely long, you aint gonna finish that before BG3 comes out.

It is however a 10/10 cRPG. Probably the current best available, other than BG2.
 

StereoVsn

Member
As amazing as it is, I would not recommend wrath of the righteous for 'new' players because;

1. It's brutal even on normal dififcuties
2. It's dense as hell systems wise, it takes 30-40 hours of research to understand all the systems from the go and even then it's hard to follow.
3. It's extremely long, you aint gonna finish that before BG3 comes out.

It is however a 10/10 cRPG. Probably the current best available, other than BG2.
I don't necessarily disagree, but some thoughts. Well, and note that it is probably my favorite CRPG other then BG2 (soon to be BG3 I suspect) as well, lol.

1 - new players can set it to Easy or customize difficulty. It will still be interesting and they can bump it up once used to the systems.

2 - yeah, it's pretty dense, but if folks played say NWN2 or are familiar with D&D 3/3.5 it's not too bad. It's certainly rich in systems but you can learn by playing. And you can respect. The systems though make the game fun. Well, except for crusade system, but you can set that part on Easy and mostly ignore it.

3 - this just gives BG3 more time to patch up! 😉. Plus WotR is cheap on sale now days. And even with DLCs it's not expensive. Also note, you don't really need DLCs unless you really get into it.

The game though is so good, and it seemed to have flown under radar for a lot of folks. But yeah, for CRPG newbies, D:OS2 might be a better bet, but even that on normal can devolve to "puzzle" based encounters toward latter half of the game.

Maybe Wasteland 3 or Shadowrun Dragonfall/HK are better "starting" CRPGs. And Shadowrun games are super underrated also.
 
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reektann

Member
I played through Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2 and found no matter what I did - every combat scenario started then in about 4 turns the entire screen was on fire. I am going to presume the same thing will happen in BG3!
 
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sigmaZ

Member
I played through Divinity Original Sin 1 and 2 and found no matter what I did - every combat scenario started then in about 4 turns the entire screen was on fire. I am going to presume the same thing will happen in BG3!
In my playthrough of Early Access I didn't find that to be the case, but yeah I remember a lot more fire in Divinity 2.
 

Skifi28

Member
My suggestion would be reading up on the very basics of DnD so you at least have a grasp of what's going on (initiative, saving throws etc.) and then just jumping in the game and learning through playing and reading the tutorials.
 
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