Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Another Thread on Feedback and Suggestions

I'm starting this thread mainly to give a spot for discussion (should there be any) regarding points I have. I'll be editing my too-numerous replies to vometia's post to include a link to this one.

Gameplay

• Combat 1: Enemies don't seem to know that they can dash. It took three turns of waiting before the first redcap arrived at the teahouse, because I wanted to keep them in the doorway.
• Combat 2, "HP Bloat": The biggest example of this is the goblins. In the MM, they're AC 15 and HP 7. In BG3, they're AC 7, HP 15+. This means that, if wearing leather armour (11) and using a shield (+2), their Dexterity score can only be -1 or -2 (giving a -6 modifier to AC, initiative, Dexterity-based skills and saves, etc). However, this is only being applied to their AC - it seems like their Dexterity is otherwise unchanged (I don't have the game loaded up, so correct me if necessary). I've read bits and pieces of people saying that the reasoning is because people were missing too often, but that sounds to me like it's more of a problem with your random number generator. The average roll for a d20 is 10.5, so with a 16 or higher score in your attack stat, you should be hitting more often than not (+3 modifier, +2 proficiency bonus). It's one thing if they're a boss, miniboss, or otherwise a special character, but that's not what we're dealing with here. I love the variety in goblins, so they're not all the same thing, but the challenge with fighting goblins (in this example) shouldn't come from them being a pile of hit points. Which brings me to Combat 3 and 4...
• Combat 3, Enemy AI: This takes into account both of the previous points. Enemies should make use of their abilities like dash more often, yes. But going back to the goblin example, the challenge with fighting them isn't in their HP or damage output, it's that they use hit and run tactics. Goblins should be dangerous in that they run up, attack indiscriminately, then disengage and run away using their Nimble Escape feature. Bugbears and most beasts should prioritize the biggest and toughest looking one (for the challenge, or just to get the threat out of the way). Hobgoblins, being the strategic masters, should be prioritizing the actual biggest threat - if not going for the wizard or healers first themselves, then telling their subordinates to do so. The only enemies that should be targeting downed characters are intelligent bosses who really want to get someone out of the way or to be cruel. Beasts and most regular enemies should just move on to the next threat.
• Combat 4, HP Again: As I said earlier, a stack of hit points isn't always fun. However, you could work this into the game by offering difficulties. Normal gives creatures their average hit points (for example, 7 for your average goblin). Hard gives creatures their maximum HP (12 for goblins). And then a truly random setting, probably with a warning about increased load times, by having the actual dice rolled (a goblin will have between 2 and 12 from their 2d6; a hobgoblin captain will have between 18 and 60 from their 6d8+12; etc).
• Marching Order: We should be able to set a marching order. As everyone knows, wizards and squishy characters in the back, barbarians/fighters/paladins at the front. As it is, anytime I click to move, Gale books it in front of everyone, and the group stops in a + no matter what.
• Pillars of Play: XP should be awarded for all three pillars of play. Not just combat, but also exploration and social. Talking your way out of a combat encounter should be an option in some cases, and reward XP as though you'd killed all of the enemies. Bartering shouldn't reward XP - it's not "you get XP any time you roll the dice" - but if you successfully talk Kagha down from killing/imprisoning the little girl (as an example which I've yet to accomplish), there should be a reward.
• Real Time vs Turn-Based: I don't know how complicated this would be to implement, but maybe you could end the debate by having both as options. Make turn-based default, but add the option to change it to real time with pause (maybe call it "Classic Combat", mentioning that it's what was used in the original Baldur's Gate games).
• Tools: More tools/kits should be added (I know it’s early days). Characters without proficiency with those tools/kits shouldn’t be able to use them. Or, at the very least, give them disadvantage. Thieves’ tools have already been discussed, I believe, but to reiterate, they should have a roll instead of a progress bar (though that it takes time is a good thing, and gives you a chance to get caught).
• Trap Disarming: Some (not all) traps should have the option to disarm in different ways. Strength to break it (or even stop it, like a swinging blade, so the party can get past), Dexterity to rush past before it's set off (like in an action movie), Intelligence or Wisdom to figure out how to bypass it. These shouldn't be passive checks, but within the right-click menu - preferably only showing the ones that your selected character is good at (modifier of +1 or higher).
• Trap Discovery: This is mainly for chests. We should be able to perform an Investigation check on a container to determine if it's been trapped. We can then attempt disarming it. Players can then get granular like that, or just send in a character to tank the damage.
• Verticality: Verticality has been touted as one of the big things about this. I know we're early on, but there should be better ways to use it. A distance when jumping down to a lower elevation, so you know if you're likely to take damage or if it's going to be no problem, would be immensely helpful. Also, climbing, ropes, and the climber's kit should be added/implemented. A difficult climb may require an Athletics check, which could be negated if you have the climber's kit.

Rules

• Attunement: Magic items are missing the attunement quality. This really should be added I checked D&D Beyond, and most rare or rarer items require attunement, with a few uncommon also requiring it. This is mainly when an item gives you an ability or stat increase (aside from +1/2/3 to AC, hit, or damage). To make it more gamey, you can remove the time requirement for attunement, but have the attunement slots.
• Bartering: This is a homebrew rule, but I have a feeling it's not only at my table. Every player wants to get a deal or convince a merchant their item is more valuable. Giving the ability to roll Deception or Persuasion when speaking to a merchant would be a nice addition. It might be a good idea to restrict it to single items and bulk purchases (for example, if you're buying out their entire stock of 6 or more of a particular potion).
• Inventory Management 1: Currently, inventory management takes up a lot of time. It would be helpful if junk items were automatically tagged as wares.
• Inventory Management 2: Speaking of wares, adding things to wares should be easier. It would be helpful if there was an "Add to Wares" button you could click so that you could just select items, rather than having to right click each one individually. This would make inventory management much quicker.
• Scroll Use: Scrolls should be restricted to use by spellcasters who have that spell on their class spell list. They should also have to make a roll to cast it if it's too high a level for them. The only exception to both of these rules would be a level 13 or higher thief, due to their Use Magic Device feature (hopefully the level 10 cap is just for EA).
• Sneak Attack: Rules as written, a rogue's sneak attack is automatic with the first hit on a turn, assuming they meet the criteria (finesse or ranged weapon and: advantage, ally threatening the target, etc). Making it a separate button/hotkey that you have to use is just additional complexity for the sake of a nifty icon.
• Trap Disarm Kit: Rules as written, both lockpicking and trap disarming use thieves’ tools.

UI/UX

• AI Pathfinding: NPCs running through hazards or over traps is a known quantity, but there are other things that I've come across (bug report pending). There will be times where I click to move somewhere, then the rest of the party just falls off. Most of the time this is just an annoyance, since they teleport either to beside me or to the destination without taking damage. However, I had one instance yesterday of the party running ahead of me, not setting off a trap, then running off a cliff. They all took fall damage (Gale even gave me crap for attacking him). Then I set off the trap and took the fire damage. I ended up having to explore with the others until I found a waypoint and could fast travel my PC to them.
• Hotbar 1: The hotbar gets a little crowded. I would suggest a Spellbook for casters - it opens a submenu with available (i.e. prepared) spells like in the original BG 1 and 2. Maybe even add a Consumables button, or separate Potions and Scrolls buttons for selecting those. Having played a little more, you could use the spell slot displays to open the spellbook submenu (a menu just like the one for the wizard's Arcane Recovery).
• Hotbar 2: The quick buttons (1 to =) should be fully customizable. This way you can put your most used actions there, in addition to spells and consumables. A fighter can set normal attack as 1 and cleave as 2, for example.
• Item Rarity: Currently, potions don't have a rarity attached to them. This would help to determine their value and... well... rarity.
• Item Value Disconnect: The value of items when you're buying and selling don't correspond with the tooltips. You can count on a significant markdown for anything you're selling, and a significant markup for anything you're purchasing. The tooltip should correspond with the actual price.
• Item Values: According to the Basic Rules (I couldn't find it in the DMG or PHB), art objects, gems, and trade goods always sell for their full value. Equipment sells for 50% value. Magic items follow the rules set out below. It may be too much behind the scenes dice rolling to use the Xanathar rules. But, if it's possible, it would give more variation, and sometimes great deals or total rip-offs.
• Log 1: The log has a lot of missing things in it, and could be improved. There are a lot of places where it will say something like "Astarian did ." What did Astarian do? No idea.
• Log 2: When checks are made it currently says "Astarian made a Perception check", but it should say "succeeded on" or "failed".
• Log 3: When things in the world are noticed, the log should say so. "Astarian succeeded on a Perception Check. He noticed a lever." This way you actually know what to look for, rather than trying to find something that glinted once and now blends back in with the background.
• Log 4: I agree with people complaining about die rolls not being shown. Rather than it being a hover-over tooltip, it should show the total roll. "Astarian rolled a 16 on his sneak attack. Goblin Boss takes 8 damage." Then, have a hover-over tooltip that shows the exact rolls, modifiers, and total.
• Magic Item Cost: Magic items don't always seem to have the appropriate values associated with them. Common items, like particular potions, should only cost between 50 and 100 gp (with potions of healing specifically listed as 50 gp in the PHB). Uncommon, like the +1 weapons should be between 101 and 500 gp. Rare are 501 to 5,000, very rare are 5,001 to 50,000, and legendary are 50,001+ gp. Xanathar's Guide gives further specifications (under Downtime Activities in Chapter 2, and Variant Rules in Appendix A) for item rarity (Downtime) and some particular potions and levels of spell scrolls (Variant).
• Scrolls: I've seen people mention how many scrolls there are dotted about in the world, which really just depends on your DM. I don't tend to give out scrolls unless there's a wizard in the party, or the adventure I'm using specifically states that a scroll is in the loot. Conversely, I tend to give out too many magic items then joke about how I have to beef up encounters because my players waltz through deadly ones without a sweat. So, I don't think they're too common as long as they go along with the item rarity (level 0-1 are common and all over, 2-3 are slightly rarer, and so on).
• Selling Wares: A bulk "Sell All Wares" button should be available in the barter screen, like Skyrim's "Sell All Junk". Again, this would help speed things up so you can get back to the game.
• Spells 1: Please, for the love of all that is and isn't holy, alphabetize the spells in the character sheet and spellbook.
• Spells 2: Some spells (bless, for example) say that you can choose up to X creatures, but then automatically select for you. These should have the same selection of targets as spells like magic missile, allowing you to select which three in the radius are blessed.
• Spells 3: Some spells are duplicated in higher levels even if they can't be cast at higher levels (faery fire, for instance).
• Spells 4: There's no need for faerie fire to affect objects.
• Target Self: Actions that can only target yourself (not including spells) - dash, disengage (if it's separated from jump), action surge, etc - shouldn't require a second click. People who haven't played your previous games don't always realize that they do (even I forget sometimes). See, as evidence, Many a True Nerd's livestream.
• Trader Cash Refresh: I may be the only person who has a problem with this, but traders refresh their gold too fast. If I sell 2,000 gold worth of stuff to a trader, they shouldn't have another 2,000 available after I long rest. Unless items sold to them have been removed from their inventory to simulate others purchasing items while you're away, it should take time to refresh.
• Trap Disarm Kit: This doesn’t appear to do anything. Right-clicking a discovered trap doesn’t give an option to disarm like doors with thieves’ tools.
• Trap Pausing: It’s been mentioned before, but pausing (going into turn-based mode) or stopping the party when a trap is discovered should be a default thing.
• Voice Acting: If Minsc and Boo show up (I believe they're canonically still alive as of a Storm King's Thunder tie-in comic run), Boo should be voice acted by Matthew Mercer (as he was in a D&D Live 2019 game). Just, you know, because.

I'll be adding to this thread when things come to me.