First of all: Thank you developers for this legendary work on Baldur's Gate 3 - A true masterpiece.
There are some issues I want to state here, because you folks worked hard for us players - The least we can do is to say thank you and try to make a masterpiece a part of the greatest games ever created.
Balance / Quality of Life
- Even on the easiest level of difficulty, I usually have opponents who are 2-3 levels above mine in huge numbers, beyond that it just gets silly when you reach Baldur's Gate in the further game. Every simple guard seems to be a legendary hero, a LVL5-10 NPC... It just doesn't feel like getting stronger or good immersion...
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Source - Printmedia says maximal level is 12 - Okay I got why, but if some NPCs i encountered allready are lvl 11+, that's even more questionable. Sure there are worldbreaking spells above and we need some future DLC levelcaps, but if you know the rule books there are ways to avoid the possibility to cast them: Missing components / ingredients or lack of chances to learn the spell/clerical might etc., or let them be casted, but the outcome comes in written form or by the gamemaster (storyteller) or after lvl12 you HAVE TO multiclass, you can't get stronger spells than at lvl12 just more HP/Perks/Feats etc.
- Why can't I multiclass in story mode? Did you say to the game designers: "HEY MAKE THEM MISS THE GAMEPLAY!?" I'm familiar with D&D, but I don't like to be slain every single encounter, because I want to enjoy your story!? - There is a mod already as well, but why it's needed? (I just changed the
- I'm constantly running out of healing potions, despite alchemy and co, the dealers have grazed and I'm playing the easiest gamemode!?
- Speaking of traders, there are very few in the wilderness and it would be a cool feature if I could at least sell things from the travel box in cities or in the camp (if I unlocked a corresponding NPC or something similar) - On the way: The camp there are tents, furniture, a whole entourage follows us - BUT hardly any of them really helps us? *spoilers avoided*
- When leveling up, game keeps rewriting the magic book for me, is that necessary?
- Healing spells honestly feel pretty weak? Getting healed with a lvl 3/4 spell simply doesn't make a big difference in battle against hordes of enemies.
- If we get Quality of Life NPCs like the "reviver" - that's so mysterious it's getting silly again - then why not an errand boy or traveling dealer who regularly comes to the camp?!
- Opposing spells/attacks pop because of the high level differences? hurt significantly more and next to crits and being pushed off cliffs etc., there are some "InstaDeath" mechanics in there that actually don't correspond to the spell description (I'm not talking about saving throw:death here) but simply do an outrageous amount of damage dealt (by the enemies)
NPCs
Later on we get to know very well known NPCs who are legendary or local heros like Jaheira
- Jaheira joins our forces at end of act 2 - But her spellslots are just silly, she died several times, even if i tried to keep her alive at all costs. If she is that legendary badass the story implies as she fools us as cool as hell (wine) without any consequences, why doesn't she get those spells/shapeshifting abilities she had in the first battleencounter
- NPCs can't be revived?! Sorry that's sad and a funkiller as well
KI
- Firewall or other AOE effects well placed without any line of sight prompted every single enemy to run into their doom. As I learned lvl4 spells at the end of act 2 this was a gamechanger, but not because I could block passages or something, just because of "poor AI decisions" to stay in the flames or pass them (several times) - Some of the encounters just could be won with this total failure of AI wayfinding/priorities
Story
- As I reached Baldur's Gate every single farmer seems to know the heroic deeds of the party, but some mysteriosly knew them/my character in "every detail" without any explaination (Githanki at Imperators hideout) As a player of a D&D PnP round I would feel played out by the gamemaster if there are NO SINGLE points to spot a spy or at least a shadow who/which lurks us ect - Here it's the same, I felt played out several times in my playthrough
- Options don't make a difference in some conversations/encounnters, the outcome is often the same - goodwise or ... not so goodwise, feels realistic but sometimes it felt very constructed (The Harper's camp and the Marcus encounter) I played the encounter many... many times, because I tried to save the moon priestress
) then I backstabbed him with a psionic-passive, poison etc. and he was down to 40%, the whole enemies where "surprised" then, I went full in on Szarr (Firewall , other AOE again XD ) the mighty Szaaaaaar was no more. The rest of the pack was killed by my AOEs and summons/party. Easy thing, noone died, some weren't even harmed.