Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Rework Barkskin

I really hope this ability is reworked by release. Currently this ability for druids and rangers sets the characters AC to 16. I believe (but could be incorrect) that even if the target has a higher AC it will lower it to 16 if you cast barkskin. So in most cases characters would be lowering their own armor value as 16 AC is pretty easy to exceed for both druids (assuming human shape) and especially rangers. On top of that the spell requires concentration. So if you cast barkskin you are burning a lvl 2 spell slot to set your armor class to a likely lower value and disabling your ability to use any other concentration ability (like hunters mark or entangle). I wouldn't mind the cost of concentration if the trade off was worthwhile, unfortunately it's nerf at the moment.

The spell would actually be worth picking if it either added a set armor value to our existing AC or gave some amount of temporary hit points. I would personally prefer adding AC mainly because temporary hit points do not stack and can be acquired from a few other sources. I would feel better about temporary hitpoints if you could refill or stack them (stack them within reason of course).

Fortunately it doesn’t, and as far as I can tell is working as per 5e, where its main use case past the first few levels seems to be buffing AC of wildshapes, animal companions and summons who can’t wear armour or items, rather than increasing AC of characters who already are hard to hit.

See https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=840670&page=1 for more discussion on this topic, including some screenshots I took showing that it doesn’t reduce AC that is over 16, only raises it to 16 if it isn’t already.

The One D&D playtest has a revised version of Barkskin that would be cool.

Honestly, the PHB version of Barkskin is terrible. Maybe you get +1 or +2 more AC, at the cost of Concentration meaning you can't cast any other concentration spells. In all the games I've played, a PC has used Barkskin maybe a total of 1 times, and then never again because they realized it's so much worse than all the other options. (I suppose you can get an effective +3 to AC when wildshaped, but then you expect to be in melee -> getting hit -> easy loss of concentration)

I agree it rarely feels like the best option, particularly as offence usually seems like the best form of defence in BG3 combat. I did use it on my wildshaped druid a bit (I think the bear form has AC 12 without it) and it did make her a bit tankier, but despite the fact lost concentration was a problem a bigger one was that the enemies just survived longer than if she used a concentration spell that did or increased damage instead. Similarly, I can see it being a potentially useful spell for a ranger’s animal companion but it would be in competition for concentration with, eg, Hunter’s Mark.

That One D&D version does sound more generally useful as well as more fun thematically. Though competition for concentration might still be an issue that makes it less useful?

I really hope they can just mix editions and use the revised One DnD stuff in BG3. Barkskin is a good example. Dual wielding is another, even better. And there's a lot more. Who cares about the "purity" of an edition if the game plays better?

Realistically, I guess there won't be a revised BG3 One DnD edition until it has been locked down. But already I hope there will be one asap.

Barkskin is a useful skill if you don't minmax during character creation. Sure, that halfelf / woodelf who starts with a +3 to dex and wis at level 1 will likely never use it. But if you want to RP an old human druid with a frail body and a sharp mind it can be very reasonable to use barkskin.
Generally in my opinion there are enough overpowerd spells or abilities in this game already, so instead of buffing the rest I'd rather see the overperforming ones to be tuned down a bit.

In early access where level 2 spell slots did all your damage as a druid, if really was downright useless. Either barkskin needs to be level 1 or Level 2, but require no concentration. Aside from buffing AC by 2 instead of setting it to 16.

You can RP that way, but that's just... you might as well RP as a battlemaster only resorting to their fists for damage. Or, a paladin only using crossbows.

Like all druid melee concentration spells so far, it can be lost by stepping on a surface -- which is frequently -- or being hit in combat. Playing around with flameblade taught me early just how wasteful this is.

For half of early access, you have exactly 2 level 2 spell slots. You need them both for one mildly difficult fight. A frail druid better moonbeam all those ranged suckers twice a day.

Of course, some druids eventually also get haste as an alternative to cast on allies. Haste potions are yet everywhere, tough.

The One D&D version does still suffer from concentration, making it ~useless to cast on yourself especially now that you'll have less AC = hit more often. It'd be much more appropriate for buffing others (Barkskin on a Raging Barbarian so they regain 6 hp each turn while only taking half damage!!!)

Nor, will the Barb immediately lose it when someone drops an acid bomb on them. Press F in the chat for flameblade. It was killed by bad weather on its last spell slot

Specifically, the Barb will lose it when someone drops an acid bomb on the Druid. Ideally, the Druid in this case will be in the back line and thus harder to hit. Ofc, if the BG3 AI hard focuses concentrating characters, you're out of luck.

Or ... hiding and thus impossible to hit? O_o

If Barkskin raised AC by 2 without concentration until long rest it would be quite useful. That extra AC would also potentially help hold concentration on other spells when attacked.

If Barkskin raised AC by 2 without concentration until long rest it would be OP to the point of effectively being mandatory when you have a druid in the party. Especially as you could then cast it on every single party member each day.

Raising AC by 2 *with* concentration until long rest is maybe balanced. (essentially an unlimited duration Shield of Faith, at the cost of a 2nd level spell slot.)
Raising AC by 2 *without* concentration for 1 minute is also maybe balanced, but probably less so.
Changing Barkskin to be a 1st level spell makes it too similar to SoF to warrant being its own spell.

I'd set it to work on a timer (50 turns). One ally only. All of the druid's good level 2 spells work the same way. I'd hate seeing the druid turned into a full blown support. However, this way they can spend one slot on support and one slot on damage.

Depending on how weak the wild shapes remain for tanking, it also improves the moon druid.

The old problem remains that killing faster is better than +2AC almost always. I don't think this is OP simply because of how much damage you're losing. A druid is wiped out at level 4 in two (moonbeam) to one fights (flameblade). Introducing barkskin means one cast at even level 5 per day. Since this class is low-key bad at the moment, it needs a good spell or two.

Barkskin fits in neatly to make them a more viable tank in parties with no alternative. It gives them one thing an ancient paladin cannot do in practice. The ancient paladin will always have more damage and healing... that only leaves defense.

Even so, ancients can buff their AC permanently by 1. Though, it means losing out on damage. But, they can do that... and still have permanently more damage than the druid. RIP.

(I don't think this needs saying, but druid concentration also makes no sense. You'll sooner die than lose moonbeam, yet flameblade disappears when an enemy sneezes nearby. What does that mean for barkskin?)