Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback stick with the 5e monster stat blocks

The most baffling thing about this game, and the changes they've made from 5e D&D is, "if it's not broken, don't fix it." Am I saying 5e is flawless and without issues, certainly not. But there's no denying that with over 45 years of evolution, 5e D&D has become a fairly balanced game, with many issues resolved over it's years of continued improvement and innovation. 5e hasn't become the most popular edition of D&D ever for nothing. While those trying to say "but this isn't PnP, it's a PC game" need to realize is that D&D has been faithfully implemented into PC games for over 30 years. Also, it's important to note that if things were reversed, and you made these fundamental changes to gameplay mechanics in PnP D&D they would be broken in that format too. The core mechanical game of D&D is actually fairly simple to implement into a PC game, it's just numbers. The difficult issue is making those numbers and core mechanics into a PC game that's enjoyable to play. Again, that's been done dozens of times (over 70 times if you include enhanced editions) over the decades with D&D, it can be done again. In fact, many of these games are considered some of the best RPG games ever made. And if you say "but they haven't done a 5e D&D PC game before" aren't familiar with two immensely popular programs called Roll20 and Fantasy Grounds for 5e D&D. Sure there's a lot more that goes into a PC game, the UI, the characters, the writing, the accessibility and ease of player controls, etc. But the fundamental mechanics (the numbers) of the game are already made for them, they simply need to copy them. Which is crazy, because many of the issues players are voicing and experiencing with this game are because they've altered the easiest thing to faithfully duplicate from 5e D&D, the numbers.

I'll give a couple examples of how two seemingly tiny changes in these numbers can drastically alter the gameplay and game balance of an entire system. A cantrip cast at first level that does 5-22 damage is game breaking. This change completely unbalances many other low level spells, it also unbalances all martial classes at low levels incapable of casting these now buffed cantrips too. Also, giving every character bonus action shoves and disengages not only undervalues a fundamental defining aspect of the rogue class, it completely alters the action economy of the entire combat system. While also diminishing the value of martial classes that get extra actions at higher levels too. This also makes other spells and feats that made these actions possible by other means useless now too. These two simple changes don't just influence the balance of casters to martial classes, action economy of all combat, and other low level spells either. These two changes now drastically alter the CR of all encounters too. Which means the CR of encounters now needs to increase as a result. Which creates another issue, now the party is taking more damage, and requires more healing. Which means they now have to introduce things like food that heals, and more healing potions and revivify scrolls. They have to be careful though, giving too much healing and your cleric class becomes obsolete and you're better off with one of those casters who can fire off those OP cantrips every round. Don't even get me started on how they've combined these two issues, and now have a cantrip that can shove as a bonus action now, and another that still does damage while also knocking opponents prone.

Two little changes and multiple systems drastically influenced. But they didn't just change two little things that drastically altered game balance. There's currently over 1,600 threads on this forum, many of them disusing how their changes to the core mechanics of 5e has fundamentally altered game balance. I have faith that many of the issues like pathing, inventory management, skill checks in conversations, UI annoyances and general bugs will be addressed as development continues. What worries me, is all the changes they've made from the core mechanics (the numbers) of 5e D&D, and the vast influences these changes have on what has made 5e D&D so popular and enjoyable for so many. As well as the impression this game will leave on players whose first experience with 5e D&D will be this game. If its not broken, don't fix it. If they want to improve on some issues with 5e, great! There are issues with 5e that could be addressed and improved on. But they're not trying to reinvent the wheel here, or at least they shouldn't be. They promised a 5e D&D BG game, and hopefully that's what they deliver.