My feedback and my hopes for BG3
Thomas_Louis
38 seconds ago
INTRODUCTION
Hello,
I know I'm late to the party, that Larian has already announced the latest patch for BG3 long ago, and that the entire team is focused on Divinity, but for weeks, even months, I've been wondering whether it was even worth writing this message. I know the train has left the station, but as a passionate role-playing gamer, and a fan of BG1, 2, and 3, I felt it was important to write a message to the team. Please excuse my poor English, which is not my native language.
First of all, I wanted to thank Larian and all the team members for their incredible achievement. Thank you for the love, the attention to detail, the quality, the authenticity, the maturity, and the revolutionary storytelling. Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I've spent a lot of time on BG3 and I intend to spend even more, testing every possibility, every feature. BG3 has been my Game of the Year every year since its release. I can't praise you enough for your work. I will support future projects, I will play Divinity, there's no doubt about that, and I eagerly await what you have in store for us.
I don't know what the goals or possibilities are regarding the future of BG3; the book seems to be closed, but I think it's sad, when you have a game that can live for another 10 or 15 years, not to offer, little by little, new content, adjustments, and balancing. I'm not saying that a sequel to BG3 is necessary; it doesn't make sense from a continuity standpoint, given the number of possible choices at the end of the game, nor does it make economic sense considering the number of people it would require (people who, incidentally, would have to work full-time on Divinity). But it is possible, with a small team, to keep the game alive and age like a fine wine. And that, for me, is the challenge the studio must face. As I write this, BG3 is one the most played game on the Steam Charts, even though it was released in 2023. The game is played, loved, and respected by the community. It's essential, now that the Divinity project is underway, to be able to plan ahead and not "abandon" a game that could have a lifespan worthy of legendary games. I would be willing to pay for additional content without hesitation, whether it be new races, new playable characters, or new mechanics.
Now that this preamble is out of the way, I've jotted down a few points I hope to see developed someday. I'll try to organize my thoughts a bit so I don't forget too much, even though I know I'll forget half of it, and I know some points are unrealistic. However, many points on the list I'm about to elaborate on might require only "little" work, as the game mechanics already exist, or they could be addressed through paid additional content (even though that's never been the studio's policy, and for that reason, and out of respect for the players, thank you).
GAME MECHANICS
- Climbing/Grappling: Use a rope to allow a character to traverse an obstacle they couldn't reach with the jump action, or to replace a ladder or access point destroyed by an action (for example, the rope ladder that burns in the Dark Depths when arriving from the Zhentarim after triggering the traps below). Define the grazing points upstream and reveal them on a Survival roll.
- Fishing: Define possible fishing areas. A Survival roll to catch fish, or a QTE-style minigame, to catch fish and increase camp supplies. A simple system, like the one in WoW, with different fish depending on the region, would be an incredibly immersive addition. Fishing with the bear at the druid camp, by the water's edge in the forest, at the Inn of the Last Light, on the banks of the Chionthar... It's not impossible to find rare items, or shoes, at the end of your fishing rod.
- Hunting: Survival test to recognize footprints on the ground. Follow the tracks, new footprints, new survival test. If successful, an animal (boar, deer, etc.) appears. Hostile animals and wild beasts may also appear.
- Study: In honor mode, do not offer any information when examining a creature at first. An action (bonus?) is required to reveal the creature's characteristics. Each creature type is linked to an identification roll.
- Arcane: magical creatures, elementals, aberrations, etc.
- Nature: animals, fey, plants, etc.
- History: humanoids and similar beings
- Religion: celestials, undead, fiends
ACTIONS
- Grab: New action. It is possible to grab a creature to prevent it from moving, or even to drag it along. Requires a Strength roll against a Strength/Acrobatics roll. Some creatures already have similar mechanics (restrained), and this can offer new possibilities for melee combat.
- On Guard: New action. The character assumes a defensive stance. Creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against the character, while the character has advantage on Dexterity saving throws. Uses the player's action to gain an additional reaction.
- Assist: New action. Uses the player's action to grant an advantage on an ally's next attack roll.
- Search: New action. Investigation check to reveal a hidden creature. Does not work on invisible creatures or on normal rolls (e.g., a failed detect trap check).
DIFFICULTY
Adjustments for Honor Mode:
- Far fewer camp rations; you must buy them or find them in the wild.
- Barrel: NPCs don't remain inactive if you place a barrel of explosives in front of them. They receive an attitude penalty, and may even be accused of attempted assault (similar to theft), and they will take back or move the barrel. However, it's still possible to place the barrel further away and lure the NPC towards it with a minor illusion, for example.
- Moving NPCs: It's impossible to move an NPC before throwing them (and teleporting) to limit abuse. This results in an attitude penalty, and may even be accused of attempted assault.
- Spellcasting: Wizards have a scroll-writing skill level equal to their mage spellcasting level. It's impossible to learn a level 6 spell with only one wizard level.
COSMETICS
- Height / Weight / Muscle Mass: at least 5 points of each to provide diversity. Applicable to all races and genders.
- very short / short / average / tall / very tall
- very thin / thin / average / fat / very fat
- very scrawny / scrawny / average / muscular / very muscular
- Face / Hairstyles / Piercings / Tattoos: add them regularly. There are many mods for this; perhaps it's possible to integrate some. The possibilities seem endless.
- Age: Increase aging traits
- Tattoos/Piercings:
- Ability to add, choose, or layer multiple tattoos or piercings
- Ability to tattoo the body
- Clothing:
- Ability to try on clothing/weapons/armor without buying or wearing it
- Ability to hide clothing, as is already possible with helmets
- Bag: Similar to equipping a musical instrument and showing/hiding it, in a different equipment slot, for example, opposite the instrument on the character's equipment sheet:
- Quiver: For storing arrows
- Book: For storing scrolls (there's one near the goblin camp that also stores other things...)
- Potion belt (worn around the waist, diagonally across the chest, in pockets, etc.): For storing potions/elixirs/oils/poisons
- Bag: For storing explosives and similar items
- Bag Back: for storing anything and everything
- Generally speaking, storing items can sometimes be a chore, and having easily identifiable containers and/or the ability to rename them would be a real plus for inventory management. And I dream of my gnome carrying a bag bigger than himself, with his tote bag, his parchment book at his belt, and his potion belt slung over his shoulder. Style above all
CRAFTS
- Forge: a new menu, with Dammon or any other blacksmith, or based on the alchemy interface. A forge provides a hammer (which already exists in the game), tools, and materials (ingots are also already in the game, but other materials are needed, such as handles). Forge your own weapons and armor, but above all, modify pieces of equipment:
- Weapons:
- Weapon type
- Simple: d6
- Martial: d8
- Exclusive properties:
- Light: -d2
- No attribute
- Versatile: +d2 if wielded two-handed
- Two-handed: +d2
- Additive properties:
- Reach: -d2
- Finesse: -d2
- Throwing:
- Heavy: +d2 Requires two hands
- Damage Dice: redistribute the damage dice (1d12 or 2d6 etc.)
- Damage Type: slashing / piercing / bludgeoning
- Armor:
- Add materials to modify properties, as with adamantium forging, but using common materials (leather / iron / steel / silver)
- Add finishes to armor and shields:
- Elven: ability to use the armor without proficiency restrictions
- Reinforced: +1 AC, but heavier to wear
- Spikes: when the character is hit, the attacker takes 1d4 points of piercing damage
- Etc.
- Enchantment: a new menu, with Shovel, in the Helsik dungeons, or based on the alchemy interface. There are many items that players love but lose their appeal as the game progresses, even though they are sometimes perfectly thematic. Phalar Aluve is a perfect example.
- "Basic" Enchantment: For a certain amount of money, the character can enchant or enhance a basic enchantment:
- Act 1: +1 enchantment possible
- Act 2: +2 enchantment possible
- Act 3: +3 enchantment possible
- "Legendary" Enchantment: From each opponent possessing a legendary action, the character can retrieve an item that grants a unique enchantment. Example:
- Matriarch Phase Spider: Venom Gland. +1d4 poison on a weapon, poison damage resistance on armor
- Ketheric Thorm: Myrkul rune: Animate Dead spell once per long rest
- Bulette: Bulette scale: +1 AC on a weapon, +2 damage reduction on armor
- Other enchantments: rings, gloves, etc.
- Magic tattoo: ability to get a minor/medium/major tattoo granting a unique ability in the lower city
CLIMATE
- Weather variations: rain/sun/fog/wind/snow/storm, etc. Random events that add depth to immersion and surprises (getting wet if it rains, reduced visibility with natural fog, etc.)
- Day/night cycle: ability at camp to end the day or plan a night expedition: when the group leaves camp, it is night, and the player can explore the environment in the darkness and experience nightlife (and I (I would pay a very high price to explore the lower town at night, its gambling dens, its cutthroat dens and its crowded taverns)
PLAYABLE RACES
I want to play a goblin, but other races already in the game might be interesting.
BACKSTORIES
Add some background information, for example, the Hermit, which already exists in the rulebooks.
PLAYABLE CHARACTERS
I'd like each class to be represented by a playable character. Not all companions have to be original companions; they could have shorter, less important quests. Some are simply reinforcements. Beyond Minsc and Jaheira, who are nostalgic nods to the past, I'm thinking of:
- Sazza:
- Ranger
- Subclass: Beast Master
- Unique ability: Summoning a Worg (Pet)
- Unique ability: Mark of the Absolute
- Alfira:
- Bard
- Subclass: College of Knowledge
- Unique ability: Possesses her own songs based on the main character's quest resolutions
- Halsin:
- Druid
- Subclass: Circle of the Moon
- Can join the party as soon as he's freed from his prison. He followed Aradin, he should follow us right away!
- Varrl:
- Monk
- Subclass: Way of the Four Elements
- Unique Ability: Githzerai Skill
- This is the young githyanki who possesses the second disc, to be freed after meeting a certain person.
- Unknown
- Sorcerer
- Perhaps a gnome or dwarf imprisoned at Malforge? This would create a link with Act 2 and give the player direction.
MORALITY
All companions can navigate the moral spectrum. Evil Wyll surrenders to Mizora, Evil Karlach abandons hope and burns with vengeance and chaos without redemption, Minthara abandons Drow customs. Not everything has to be easy, and some characters have a strong moral compass, but every playable character must somehow find their place in a game ranging from lawful good to chaotic evil. You have to talk to the characters and find the right dialogue options and quest choices to guide them. Remarkable work has been done in this area, more so than in any other game, and I think it can be pushed to its limits.
CLASS BALANCE
There's so much here that I could make a separate thread, but here are a few examples that could help some less popular classes with simple modifications:
- Barbarian:
- Wild Magic: More interactions with skills related to its unique ability
- Bard:
- College of Valor: Applies the Inspiration bonus to an ally and the character
- Cleric:
- Trickery Domain:
- Trickster's Blessing: Can be applied to the character
- Cloak of Shadows: Grants greater invisibility
- Sneak Attack: 1d6 level 1, 2d6 level 5, 3d6 level 9
- Druid:
- Circle of Spores: Add new spores (hate spores for zombies, etc.)
- Warrior:
- Champion:
- Critical Strike Enhancement level 10 (Increases to 2)
- Weapon Mastery: Ability to change weapons in combat with a bonus action
- Monk:
- Path of the Four Elements: Passive: +1d4 damage bonus of one element of choice
- Ranger:
- Beast Mastery:
- Bond: Passive: Redirects half of the damage taken by your companion to you
- Hit bonus for the animal companion equal to the character's
- Sorcerer:
- Wild Magic: More interactions with skills related to their unique ability
- Occultist:
- Pact of Chains:
- Remove the pet's extra attack
- Level 3: Summon Imp/Quasit
- Level 6: Summon Infernal Sphere
- Level 9: Summon Cambion
- Pact of the tome:
- The character chooses spells
- Level 3: 3 cantrips
- Level 6: 3 level spells 3
- Level 10: 1 level 5 spell
- Wizard:
- Conjuration:
- Teleport as a bonus action
- Divination:
- Third Eye: Darkvision: Allows you to see in magical darkness
- Illusion:
- Level 6: See the Invisible: Bonus action
- Level 10: The character can cast illusion spells as a bonus action
- Transmutation:
- Transmutation Stone: Accessible from level 2. The character can add a bonus every two levels (2-4-6-8-10-12). The bonuses are cumulative.
BALANCING FEATS
As with classes, a complete review of each feat would be necessary. But here are a few examples I've come up with:
- Charge: Charges through enemies and doesn't stop at the first one. Attacks / knocks down those in its path
- Crossbow expert: Add +2 attack bonus with crossbows
- Defensive duelist: Add the ability to reposition a short distance after dodging an attack
- Dungeon delver: Advantage on sleight of hand checks against traps and objects
- Durable: +2 HP at the start of each turn in combat
- Ritual caster: Choose from all rituals
- Shield master: Add action: bash
ITEMS AND SPELLS More items and more spells. Players love items and love spells. Simple.
To be more constructive, some subclasses (wild magic, for example) or attributes lack items specialized to their class. Others (fire, ice) have many and allow for numerous variations, which is extremely enjoyable. I'd like a wide variety of items and spells of all types so that each specialization can be balanced. We need more poison and acid spells, more two-handed weapons with finesse, and so on.
CONCLUSION
There you have it. I needed to get all of this out of my head. If you've read this far, thank you, and you're very brave. I still have so much more to say, but I needed to at least get some structure in place.
I wish only the best for BG3, for Larian, and I hope the future is bright.
With all my love,
Thank you
