Quick Review and Suggestions (mostly combat mechanics) - 03/01/23 02:34 PM
First time poster! I got to the end of early access, and the nice man on the video said to post feedback here, so that's what I've come to do.
First, thank you for the work you're doing on BG3. I'm grateful not only for the work you've done so far, but the work you intend to do in the future. I'm also very pleased to see Larian making space for inclusivity and diversity. It's great to know that future players can immerse themselves in a world somewhat free from the sort of bigotry they might encounter in their day to day lives. Thank you very much for putting respect for identity front and center in your future plans. It's really kind of you and I'm grateful. The game isfantastic in so many ways - graphics, storytelling, music, sound, character options, and all the rest. I got into EA right off the bat, did everything I thought was doable in my first playthrough, and then waited for a looong time for you guys to add level 5 (levels 1-4 are just not that interesting to me as a D&D player. Level 5 is where the game begins). You did! And so I gave another playthrough, this time with all the added content. I played a Paladin this time out. I can't wait for this to come out in full in August (though I wish it were sooner!). The Realms in this game feel real and lived in. The language you use is sourced from novels and other lore, and that's wonderful. The Underdark is gorgeous and fun (and I want more!), and Grymforge is amazing.
I'm a devotee of 5th edition, having played D&D since the box was red - it's my favorite edition so far. I noticed on this play through some mechanics in BG3 that deviate from 5e rules and I found those mechanics to be frustrating - they were really my only negative experiences other than the sort of bugs and what not you expect to find in an Early Access game.
- Getting up from Prone should not cost you your attack action on the turn you get up.
- Getting up from being unconscious should not cost you your attack action on your next turn.
- Drawing a Weapon should not cost me my attack action - sometimes you get disarmed, and drawing a new weapon out of your pack should be your free Object Interaction and should not cost you an entire round of attacks.
In 5th ed, if the cleric pops you up with Healing word before your next turn, you get to act normally. You're prone, so you have to spend half your movement to get to your feet, but other than that you can act normally. When you *don't* have this mechanic in place, half your party can be entirely occupied with just keeping someone from dying instead of progressing the fight. I kept cursing my screen, saying "that's not how this works" whenever it happened. Please change this to be in alignment with 5e rules. Getting up from prone is part of your Movement, and not an action in combat.
- Casting a spell as a bonus action ought to preclude you from casting a leveled (non-Cantrip) spell as an action. I shouldn't be able to Healing Word and then Guiding Bolt a foe. Healing Word and Sacred Flame? No problem. Two leveled spells on a given turn is too powerful.
- Where the heck is the Shield spell? I need that reaction on Gale. He's so fragile. Shield is a classic D&D spell and Reactions are *fun*!. By that same token, please add Uncanny Dodge to rogues. Another defensive Reaction. Really, we need more Reactions in general.
- Why can't I apply Sneak Attack when someone invokes an Attack of Opportunity from my Rogue? Why can't I apply sneak attack damage to my off hand attack if my main attack misses?
- Shove actions move characters too far. It's too easy to shove someone into Lava when the shove action hurls them 20 or more feet.
- A warning of some kind before you do something Oath breaking would be cool. Some sort of nudge from your deity or your internal moral center would be nice.
- EDIT - Forgot to add one more request. Please add the Dodge action to the list of available actions in combat. it's an essential bit of 5e tactical play and I found myself really needing it during my playthrough.
Thanks for your time! Core 5e mechanics are good, and y'all should bring these mentioned mechanics back to the game before release.
First, thank you for the work you're doing on BG3. I'm grateful not only for the work you've done so far, but the work you intend to do in the future. I'm also very pleased to see Larian making space for inclusivity and diversity. It's great to know that future players can immerse themselves in a world somewhat free from the sort of bigotry they might encounter in their day to day lives. Thank you very much for putting respect for identity front and center in your future plans. It's really kind of you and I'm grateful. The game isfantastic in so many ways - graphics, storytelling, music, sound, character options, and all the rest. I got into EA right off the bat, did everything I thought was doable in my first playthrough, and then waited for a looong time for you guys to add level 5 (levels 1-4 are just not that interesting to me as a D&D player. Level 5 is where the game begins). You did! And so I gave another playthrough, this time with all the added content. I played a Paladin this time out. I can't wait for this to come out in full in August (though I wish it were sooner!). The Realms in this game feel real and lived in. The language you use is sourced from novels and other lore, and that's wonderful. The Underdark is gorgeous and fun (and I want more!), and Grymforge is amazing.
I'm a devotee of 5th edition, having played D&D since the box was red - it's my favorite edition so far. I noticed on this play through some mechanics in BG3 that deviate from 5e rules and I found those mechanics to be frustrating - they were really my only negative experiences other than the sort of bugs and what not you expect to find in an Early Access game.
- Getting up from Prone should not cost you your attack action on the turn you get up.
- Getting up from being unconscious should not cost you your attack action on your next turn.
- Drawing a Weapon should not cost me my attack action - sometimes you get disarmed, and drawing a new weapon out of your pack should be your free Object Interaction and should not cost you an entire round of attacks.
In 5th ed, if the cleric pops you up with Healing word before your next turn, you get to act normally. You're prone, so you have to spend half your movement to get to your feet, but other than that you can act normally. When you *don't* have this mechanic in place, half your party can be entirely occupied with just keeping someone from dying instead of progressing the fight. I kept cursing my screen, saying "that's not how this works" whenever it happened. Please change this to be in alignment with 5e rules. Getting up from prone is part of your Movement, and not an action in combat.
- Casting a spell as a bonus action ought to preclude you from casting a leveled (non-Cantrip) spell as an action. I shouldn't be able to Healing Word and then Guiding Bolt a foe. Healing Word and Sacred Flame? No problem. Two leveled spells on a given turn is too powerful.
- Where the heck is the Shield spell? I need that reaction on Gale. He's so fragile. Shield is a classic D&D spell and Reactions are *fun*!. By that same token, please add Uncanny Dodge to rogues. Another defensive Reaction. Really, we need more Reactions in general.
- Why can't I apply Sneak Attack when someone invokes an Attack of Opportunity from my Rogue? Why can't I apply sneak attack damage to my off hand attack if my main attack misses?
- Shove actions move characters too far. It's too easy to shove someone into Lava when the shove action hurls them 20 or more feet.
- A warning of some kind before you do something Oath breaking would be cool. Some sort of nudge from your deity or your internal moral center would be nice.
- EDIT - Forgot to add one more request. Please add the Dodge action to the list of available actions in combat. it's an essential bit of 5e tactical play and I found myself really needing it during my playthrough.
Thanks for your time! Core 5e mechanics are good, and y'all should bring these mentioned mechanics back to the game before release.