--Eldritch Knight--
The fighter subclass Eldritch Knight, has some design problems that have been problems since it was released in the 5e PHB back in 2014. The most recent D&D play-test content addresses some of these problems, and I think Larian should import those changes to BG3, since they will greatly improve the player experience.
1: Remove the "school of magic" restriction on the Eldritch Knight spell selection. ESPECIALLY in BG3 this serves no purpose, since the player can ALREADY simply replace a spell selected from a restricted school with a spell of any school upon next level up. Removing the restriction altogether just streamlines the level up / respec process.
2: 7th level feature War Magic. This feature is what D&D players refer to as "a trap". Meaning, if you use it... you perform worse than if you don't. By the time you get this feature you already have 2 attacks per round. If you're giving up attacks to cast a cantrip, that's almost never going to be a damage increase. The play test changed the feature to allow the player to cast a cantrip as a Bonus Action when they take the attack action on their turn. IF this change were implemented in BG3, it would enable players to play the Eldritch Knight MUCH closer to the fantasy they have in their minds when they think of a fighter with spells. It will also make a lot more gear options that already exist in the game, viable or even optimal for the Eldritch Knight to use.
I believe these 2 changes to the subclass would remove the vast majority of the disparity between what players THINK they're getting, and what the subclass actually delivers, thereby decreasing disappointment.
--Throwing Weapons & Weapon Bond--
1: Currently (4.1.1.3748643), there is (still) a problem with BOUND weapons failing to return when thrown. Based on what I've seen, this happens almost exclusively when the thrower is starting a fight. I have noticed that if I as the thrower, WIN initiative, that is I go first, then the weapon returns as expected. But if I do not go first, then the weapon fails to return, and the weapon bond breaks. So that even if I run over and pick it up on my turn, should I throw it, it will no longer return. This ALSO happens with Magic Weapons, that have the weapon bond trait, but at least those weapons return when thrown after you pick them back up.
I think this could be fixed, by forcing the game to resolve a thrown weapon action before initiative is rolled. I've noticed sometimes the game is sluggish about returning a thrown weapon to a character, and if the initiative roll happens before the weapon is returned that could be causing the failure. But I'm just a pro-gamer not a programmer, so if this helps great, if not I hope you can find a good solution.
2: Weapon Bond only lasting until long rest, adds tedium to gameplay. I realize the rule was ported exactly as written from the D&D PHB, but I don't see any beneficial reason to have it end upon taking a long rest. It just frustrates the player when they forget to re-apply the buff that their playstyle is dependent upon. In a table top game most of these things are hand waved, and just assumed to have happened. I think it would be a nice change, to simply make all equipped weapons bound if the class has a feature that allows them to bind a weapon. The 5e PHB Eldritch Knight allows up to 2 weapons to be bound anyways, which isn't a provision currently allowed in BG3, so I don't really see a "fidelity" issue implementing this change.
3: I realize this is a more involved "fix" than my other suggestions, but how about allowing weapons with the "thrown" property, to be socketed in the "Ranged" weapon inventory slot, and giving them an attack button that would automatically throw THAT weapon, without having to use the "throw object" action EVERY TIME I want to make a thrown attack.
This would make playing a throwing build a LOT more fun and intuitive, AND allow melee characters to have a ranged weapon option that isn't a bow/crossbow. Str based characters typically (in D&D) will throw a weapon if they need a ranged option, because often their Dex is either much lower, or dumped entirely.
This would also solve the problem of throwing a "bound" weapon replacing a currently equipped melee weapon or weapon set.
It would also enable Monk players to leverage the benefits of Tavern Brawler to throw a weapon (with the bound property) without loosing access to their unarmed strikes when it automatically equips. I know they CAN open their inventory and unequip the weapon, but that's tedious, and disrupts the flow of combat.
I know I can't be the only player that has experienced this issue. Please strongly consider this change, I believe it will greatly improve the player experience of an already amazing game.
Last edited by Lazix; 05/10/23 04:54 AM.
