Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Shadow curse immunity too easy to get?

So, I'm back in Act II with my second character. I move into the region, follow some Absolute cultists who were hanging around the entrance until they are ambushed and help to kill them, because that's how we roll. I find a moon lantern, investigate it, and learn that its power comes from a fairy. I set her free, and I get complete immunity to the shadow curse.

At this point in the story, I haven't seen anything of the dangers of the shadow curse. It hasn't been a problem at all yet, and yet I already have the solution in my hands, without going out of my way to get it. I don't think that works from a gameplay or narrative perspective. Gameplay wise, I'd much rather have to find the solution to a problem, than to get the solution in step 1 for a "problem" I'll encounter in step 3 or 4. And narratively it doesn't make any sense for the main character to overcome adversity before encountering adversity.

If you come into the shadowlands the other way, you won't encounter these cultists as fast and getting the lantern is a deliberate step. This flows much better, storywise and gameplay wise.

I don't know how it goes if you follow the cultists to Moonrise (and can't find a video about it), so I can't judge there. In any case, my path here was a little too convenient which is less than satisfying. If anything can still be done to improve this, I think it would make the game even better.

EDIT: Perhaps I should note as well that the immunity you get so easily is without limits: you have it forever and you don't need to stay close together like with the lantern, nor do you have any need to use light sources. It really limits player agency in holding the curse at bay.

Yes, in my playthrough I went through Grimforge, had one scripted encounter with shadows, after which I was lead to Last Light, and immediately got sent out to make shadowcurse a non-issue. My issues are twofold:
1) In act1 Halsin makes it sound as if gong through Underdark will help us bypass the Shadowcurse. However, it is more or less the same, whenever you take underground route or not. IF underdark took you directly too Moonrise, I think it would make more sense.
2) While someone complained to the contrary couple days ago, I also found Shadowcurse to be a non issue - the initial area is easily braved with a simple torch or "cast light", and the first thing you are likely to do, grants you complete immunity to the curse.

I can't say that I have a helpful suggestion, but it seems to me like Larian commited to have Shadowcurse, before figuring out how to make it fun. Just on of the things that feels like it was backpedaled on between EA release three years ago, and now.

To be fair on that one, the lay of the land has changed a little since Halsin was last there, and the Grymforge was part of the temple of Shar. So once upon a time, you were able to traverse the Underdark straight to Reithwin. I don't have too much of an issue with Halsin telling you to use the underdark to bypass the Shadowcurse and it turning out incorrect. It's a good hint toward that temple being there in Act 2, in my opinion, at least for those who pay attention to the details/journal.

Maybe it would've been good if we could confront him about it later and explicitly learn about the temple of Shar from him.