Hello everyone! I'm new to the Forum, and for context, I love DnD but have only ever gotten to play one small campaign (the usual, time constraints), but I've watched quite a lot of campaigns on Youtube, so the extent of my DnD knowledge only goes that far.

My question is, do you guys think I'll enjoy playing through Baldur's Gate more if I go heavy on research and pre-planning on what to build my class? Or should I just do whatever and see where it goes? I've always liked the Arcane Trickster and I never really even got to become one during the only campaign I've played, but there's multi-classing everyone's doing/planning to do, and all the technicalities. I'm wondering if I won't get to fully appreciate the game if I don't do the same?

Additional question, for the game, are the dialogue options influenced by your character's race and/or class? Or is it just alignment, or not at all?

I mean it is D&D even if the game is softer around the edges than the tabletop. So it definitely would help to have a plan, but don't plan too much into the details because the game is quite different from 5e in a lot of ways...not least being that in the game you'll run into gear far more powerful and far more often than anything 5e would dare hand you. Some items will be so powerful that you'll want to change your build around them. You can respec at any time after you find and NPC which is pretty early in the game so don't be too afraid to experiment either. But if you've never played D&D at a table with other people it would be a good idea to learn some of the basics of how the classes and stats work as well as stuff like proficiencies.

And yes some of the dialogue options in the game will be affected by your race and class. So a Wizard for example will be able to tell what some magical runes on a console at the start of the game do while if you play another class you'll have to run around and find a key which opens a chest which has a written guide to help you figure out the runes. That kind of stuff.

I would say as long as you understand 5e you're basically golden.

I wouldn't advise going too deep and detailed with the character pre-planing because there's quite a few things we don't know about the release build of the game so some classes and races might be a little different but some broad strokes should be fine.

At least that's my plan.

That's true, I was also wondering how the game was going to handle Equipment and make it interesting enough in video game version hahaha. Gotcha, I've only played one short campaign so the proficiencies and basics I have an ok handle of. I think I just got daunted looking at all the effort people were putting into thinking of multi-classing and stuff, maybe 'cause my DM on that short campaign didn't include that feature if I remember correctly.

Ohh thank you for that, that does make a lot of sense. RP-wise would some classes limit dialogue choices? Like some classes have a bit of a lower intelligence and wisdom or charisma. I'm assuming your reference at this point is Early Access, have you noticed anything like that so far?

(edit: this is in response to Darth_Trethon! sorry I think I should've quoted which message this was in reply to I'm also quite new to Forums and such T^T)

Also one more thing...multiclassing in BG3 works very differently than in D&D 5e, and we don't have all the details so don't plan on multiclassing until we know everything.

We know the minimum stat requirements were removed from multiclassing, so a barbarian with intelligence of 8(penalty of -1 on all Intelligence rolls) can multiclass into Wiard...very VERY bad if you don't have a plan for it. But in the early game you can find a piece of headgear that increases your intelligence to 17(bonus of +3 on INT rolls) which can allow you to effectively multiclass into wizard. Additionally the multiclassing is also extremely strange...for example if you are a level 4 of another class/es and at level 5 you multiclass into wizard you will not be restricted to the stuff a level 1 wizard could pick. IF I understand this correctly at level 5 multiclassing into wizard you will receive two level three spell slots and be able to select two spells from levels 1-3 without all of the benefits of the lower wizard classes...though I think you still get some of the level 1 benefits like choosing a wizard subclass and maybe the cantrips you'd normally get at level 1...but very very not clear on the details right now. At any rate...don't plan on multiclassing yet because it works nothing like in D&D 5e and we don't have all the details.

Thank you, that makes sense! And yea I just learned from Dark_Trethon that we can respec anyways so trying things out seems like an ok plan! If you've played Early Access, do you know if they give guidelines on multiclassing and like showing the things classes will learn if you progress?

That sounds crazy wat o.O . It does sound a lot more flexible which yea can really lead to a lot of bad combos but I find it cool that you can try it out and that there might be a slim chance that it can be viable just for the game, even if it's not viable for actual DnD5e xD. But yea essentially you're right, we'll have to see in-game how the mechanics for multiclassing work. I feel like with the complexity though I might end up just not going for it hahahahah

To answer the second part of the question, that's one of the thing we don't currently know, we know there's a ''show details'' button on character creation that might be just what you ask but we don't really know for sure.

Curious, I guess I could answer this myself by looking it up lol

in 3rd edition, in order to cast a spell as a Wizard, sorc, cleric, Ranger, any class that has a spell list , you had to have a +1 modifier to cast a lv 1 spell +2 modifier to cast a lv 2 spell so forth.
so will use a Int based wiz for example.
10-11 +0
12-13 +1
14-15 +2... So a wizard with 13 intel could not cast a lv 2 spell.

Does this no longer apply in 5th edition
Looking not seeing anything yet, however lets say for instance your barbarian with the 8 intel does not need a positive modifier to cast a spell, but a positive modifier lends to a greater DC (difficulty Check) He could still cast defensive and buff spells, could come in very handy SHIELD ,Mirror image, blur along with other.

I would swear that rule still apply on 5e (although I'm not sure a 100%) from what I remember but considering what they're doing I'm just assuming that's not going to exist in BG3

Play what you want, though I'd recommend playing either a face class or a barb first off.

Face classes for the obvious advantage on talking your way out of things. But barbs have a special interaction on the tutorial level that can help you snowball your party without the cost other classes face for the same option. And barbs tend to do good on intimidation checks so they can ki d of face too.

Barbarian is very good for combat, if you're struggling with combat in the game the barbarian can be a big help. But I don't find it a particularly interesting in a game with so many skill and proficiency checks. I plan to play one of the charisma spellcaster classes so I can have mastery in intimidation, persuasion, and deception, but I think ultimately the best classes for exploring all the wide narrative options of this game will be the skill monkeys.

The good news is all the classes are fun and you can respec everything except race for your character. So the only important thing for character creation I would say is choosing a race that you like.
We don't know whether party skill pooling will ever be in so as N7Greenfire says having some charisma and some skills like persuasion is handy. Perception also seems to gets rolled a lot.

I did get some info on the Dnd beyond forums.

"Not in 5e as long as you know/prepared the spell and have the appropriate spell slot level or higher you can cast the spell. Having a low spell casting modifier will make it harder to pass the attack roll and/or the enemies will pass the saving throw more likely."

So that answered my question, if you have the slot, you can cast the spell. DC still applies so if you are running around with an 8 intel ability score, buff's will be all your good at and that IMO could be fun. barbarian with blur and mirror image, you know for flavor. Not sure if it would be worth all you'll lose in DPS at lv 12, but the flavor may be good.

They get some of the best class dialogue options though like

You can do it with warlock or sorc too I don't wemember wich one

EDIT: It was sorc


Weird, I guess I got confused with bg1 and 2

Yes that is how 5e works, but there seems to be some shifting on how spellcasting interacts with multiclassing in BG3, so I wouldn't lock yourself into that for any pre-planning.

Its been changed. The sorc can bypass having to find the rune but still has to use the tadpole. Barb is the only one who can do it and stay pure

Huh, interesting decision, I wonder if really only one class will be able to do that on release.

I get why they did it, that tadpole use is the only one that I felt ever tempted me as a good player

Why? it takes like 30 extra seconds to get the rune anyway.

Ooooooohhh I see, kinda weird but ok I guess.

Yeah I'm not taking that risk. Especially on my first run

I mean if you really are that worried about it you could just start as a Barbarian and then respec at the earlier possible opportunity into whatever you actually want to play as...which should be pretty early in act 1. But I really wouldn't worry that much about it...you most likely won't be able to optimize all choices for whatever you want on your first playthrough and you don't even know what all the endings are anyway. Plus some failed rolls here or there will probably derail some of your plans anyway. First playthrough should mostly be for exploration and seeing what story and ending you end up getting...then you can start wondering what if I did this other thing, or made that other choice, etc. for future playthroughs.

Maybe I'm weird but I want to play every class atleast once, other than maybe fighter

You can respec to your heart's content but you can experience other classes through companions and hirelings but it's a bad idea to do it too much in your fist playthrough. For the tough bossfights you'll need to know how to run your entire party pretty well and it devolves into madness when you don't remember half your skills and abilities because you were another class five minutes ago and different player classes demand different party compositions anyway. It would be wise to settle into a main class and a party setup pretty early so by the time you get to late act 2 or act 3 you know your character and your party very well.

Yeah I won't be recalling either probably just a fresh playthrough for each class

OP: I played an gnome arcane trickster in EA and it was one of my favorite characters. I wouldn't worry too much about planning beforehand. You seem to have a basic knowledge of DnD 5e, that should be enough.

This. You apparently have D&D knowledge/experience and the game is made to be easily playable by people who have none. You're even easily able to get your Arcane Trickster by just playing Rogue and picking Arcane Trickster as your subclass on level 3 iirc. Though you'll want some Intelligence to go with your Dexterity then obviously. Class and race will indeed make differences in dialogue but mostly in a positive way as far as I've seen, i.e. giving additional options or flavour. So don't worry too much. It certainly doesn't hurt thinking ahead but it's definitely not necessary.

Just adding my voice to those saying that while it's probably good to have a basic grasp of D&D (and 5e) it's also likely best not to overplan given how much we don't know. Of course, we should all play however we please, but personally I'm intending to largely wing it on my first playthrough and see what I see, and then will probably try some more planned out playthroughs after that.

I also like playing magical rogue type characters, and I think they're also a great choice for a first playthrough as it makes a lot of sense that they're curious and experimental, so you can get to see and play around with lots of aspects of the game as a player while still leaning into the roleplay aspect that I personally think is one of BG3's strengths.

I don’t think anyone mentioned that BG3 will offer a very generous respec option - so even if you fumble something you should be able to redo it fairly easy. If you know basics of 5e or D&D in general you should be good to go.

I have in my first reply.

The most fun part is to plan the Character itself, as in - background, personality, motivations, aspirations. Then selecting a class that would fit. And then trying to stick with it throughout the game, making choices that the Character would’ve made, not the player.

As for building from mechanical perspective - stats, feats etc., BG3 and DnD 5e is so simple that you can’t really go wrong. Pathfinder games were tricky and required actual build planning for higher difficulties, taking into consideration party composition etc., but BG3 doesn’t need that, it’s very easy and straightforward.

I realize what I'm responding to is near the beginning of a longer thread that I haven't finished reading yet, but I want to respond to this point on particular.

Many of the folks putting huge effort into builds are folks who are very deep with D&D, and many of whom also have been playing EA for years.

This game is intended as a general-audience offering, and isn't meant to cater primarily to folks who are going in knowing what they're doing. The kind of deep planning you see here is absolutely not necessary (and to my mind, a little premature given how little we know about what we'll get at release).

Start with a single class and see how it goes.

This is DND 5e not pathfinder, aka its a cakewalk if you got no clue what you are doing just pump one class to level 12, and you will beat the game without any difficulty on normal, as 5th edition is so streamlined you could beat the campaign by beating people with just your fists using an unoptimized fighter with 11 strength. Larian also provide way to many bombs, granades, firebarrels, and scrolls to the point you could just beat most fights with your eyes closed. So no, dont worry about it to much- especially since they are adding respecing to the game. Just try what ever and see if you like it.

This isnt really true. There's plenty of encounters in normal where you'll get tired if you don't take things seriously.

There are some encounters that can be somewhat difficult- gith patrol for one, but in almost all the cases you can talk out of the fights anyway. Hag is optional, goblin camp fight is optional, helsin can auto resolve his quest, underdark can be avoided entirely based of what is said in EA. I doubt it will be challenging

Purposefully avoiding fights due to the difficulty isn't exactly "beat the game without any difficulty"

Heck Lots of people will likely get thier first tpk in the crypt if they don't loot the skeleton with the scimitar.

Aaaah I see, we'll have to wait until release to find out then o.o . Thank u for taking the time to go back and answer this!!

Sorry, what does 'face' mean? And thank you, I'll consider this!!! Altho I do tend to forgo ease for more fun playthroughs xD

Ooo I take it that's what 'face' means? And that's true. I guess one big difference between this and an actual tabletop campaign is you're pretty much alone in these rolls so, if you're a character with low perception, there's no one else in the party who might be able to salvage the action with their higher perception proficiency

I assume that in the context of that reply face means high charisma classes that are really good at manipulation through persuasion, deception, and intimidation. The charisma classes are Warlock, Sorcerer, and Bard where they are not only very good at selling glasses to the blind but all of their spells and powers are also powered by their charisma so they literally weaponize their charisma. Rogues can also make decent faces because even through charisma is a secondary or tertiary stat for them they get a lot of proficiencies so you can give them proficiency or mastery in the speech skills and they'll still be very good at it.

Classes with high charisma that can get extra dialogue options

Thank you fylimar and Silverstar! Yea this thread has made it clearer in my head that I should just chill hehe. I'm also the type to kind of be done with a game for a looong time after just one playthrough (I tend to try to complete everything on the first go) so I try to see what I can do/not do that'll affect my enjoyment for just one run. But games like these have really good replayability

AH yes, thank you ladydub, how could I forget this!! This really will be what'll make up a lot of the fun for me, as it is a DnD game. I'll be sure to keep this in mind when I finally play!