Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Thoughts on being locked into one party

I've seen one or two posts about this topic, but I thought I'd start a new thread on Larian's current plan of locking your party after Act 1. Specifically, I wanted to focus on why this works for DOS2 (at least mechanically), but would not work for BG3.

One thing that made DOS2 unique is that it allowed any character to be whatever they wanted. Want to start as a tank, but then realize it's not how you like to play? As long as you're past Chapter 2, you can change that with no repercussions. this means you can completely change your playstyle almost on the fly and allowed you to go into encounters with the most optimal build you could do. However, the D&D mechanics are much more rigid and you are stuck with the abilities of whatever class(es) you chose. While respeccing is confirmed for the final game, I don't think it would be a great idea to be able to change classes during respeccing, especially for origin characters. I think this would add way too much complexity and would also more or less negate origin characters' backstories (imagine instead of getting thin, suave Astarion you got a buff elven fighter with the charisma of a rock).

How then do you get over the limitations of the D&D class system? By having a diverse party ready and waiting and capable of being swapped in. This still allows you to be ready for any encounters that come your way and also gives those who are invested in the characters the chance to experience all or most of them within one playthrough. It also gives you some buffer for when characters leave for approval reasons. While I'm sure that's what the mercenary system is for, I'm sure a lot agree with me that having this mute back-up character is a poor substitute for any potential banter within the party.

Obviously, this is all my own opinion, but I'm curious what others think as well. Let me know!

Well, sounds like it ...
Mercenary can be poor substitute, but i want to believe that they will be there just as "last possible solution" ... for those of us, who will create so unbearable character, so it would end allone anyway.

I dont want to offtopic with first coment, but i feel the urge to mention that 6 member party will solve this problem ...
Since as many people are complaining ... your party in BG-3 is bound to be effective, you need someone to pick locks, you need someone to pass strength checks, you need someone to support, and you need someone to deal damage ...
While many classes can do more than one of those at once ... you still kinda need to count your power, so your party is more determined by "what class do YOU play" than "wich companion you like the most and therefore wish to bring him on adventure".

Also im quite convinced that "comitment past Act1" Larian mentioned means that we will simply pick one companion, wich story we will follow until main plot cross our path again.
And i do believe (feel free to read as: want to believe) that once we will comit, we will unlock non-origin (aka non-tadpoled) followers aswell.
So i believe this will not be so harsh.

Honestly, I hate the idea of this weird commitment thing Larian wants. It just does not mesh with me as a player, barely made any sense in DOS2 (It really didn't), and is limiting in a very bad way.

Best answer.

I wouldn't really care being locked after act one but if I had more than 3 companions...

If I'd have to change a character to pick a mercenary for a reason or another, I'd rather do it with a party of 6 than a party of 4 to keep more companions.

Of course if there are only 7-8 possible companions in the game it's hard to increase the party size...

There are not enough companions in BG3 and we can only choose 3 of them so lock the party after act 1 will even worse than it would be in what every game called Baldur's Gate *number* should be ; a game with a party of 6 and tons of possible companions...