Abilities&skills value.
Here I went through analyzing if skill checks been used where they should and if they were treated equally or we got some skills being favored. If I'm not mentioning a skill it means that aside from possible bugs I'm seeing it as properly implemented.
1. Strength-based.
Strength nearly always suffers from heavy devaluation in VG versions of D&D. And unfortunately BG3 is no exception at the moment. There are checks missing and dexterity is much more delivering for combat (D&D itself fault). I'm not insisting that all following suggestions should be implemented all together, but they all may help with raising Strength value.
1.1. Add Athletics check (or Acrobatics check, depending on what's higher) for climbing on everything but ladders and passing through difficult terrain.
To avoid making some areas totally inaccessible for some characters, the characters should be able to help each other.
1.2. Allow us to use Strength modifier for Intimidation checks when it's higher than actual Intimidation. Or allow us to use Strength as a modifier for Intimidation.
1.3. Allow us to use Strength for bows and longbows if it's higher than Dexterity.
In RL pulling a string requires considerable strength, while proper targeting and placing the arrow requires dexterity. So it's only logical to make both abilities accountable for shooting from bow and longbows. Crossbows are exception since they may have pulling mechanism.
1.4. Make slowing down from too heavy inventory more noticeable.
At the moment we can put in inventory nearly twice more than characters carrying capacity with nothing happening. Would be better to make it as a kind of progression. The heavier above the capacity the slower.
1.5. Add more parts to rivers where we can walk through water, but with Athletics check similar to Stealth in vision cone check.
It's only for those places where rivers are a bit deeper and probably faster, but not too deep to require swimming. If the check is failed the character is prone and suffers from choking (1d4 damage per round).
1.6. Apply proper weight to such objects as barrels with liquids and powder, rocks, containers.
1.7. Consider inventory weight in attempts to drag around something heavy.
Dragging around a barrel with a full backpack is harder than just dragging around a barrel. With that added should be one QoL feature added - drop backpack, creating backpack container with all our inventory, after we take everything from it back to inventory it should disappear.
2. Dexterity-based.
2.1. Stealth and invisibility should have checks against listening, when moving.
At the moment stealth is a "little" bit overpowered as moving mode and in the same time useless as a skill to be proficient with. That's because If we don't get in the vision cone, we don't even roll for stealth. All NPC should have listening circle in addition to the cone. And we should roll for stealth every round in those circles if we move or cast spells with verbal component.
3. Intellect-based.
3.1. Add meaning to passing Arcana, History and Religion checks.
We are making a lot of checks for those skills which give us nothing but slightly more enlightened dialog options. In some cases we don't get even that. Religion check with Anders for example: we just understood that he's more likely lying to us, but we can't confront him immediately, we need to go to Karlach first anyway.
3.2. Add some Nature checks before the Underdark.
At the moment it feels like we don't even need that skill till we step in the Underdark and start making checks for it every 5 meters. Doesn't the surface have some nature too? Not so hostile nature, but still with something to know about it. I would apply Nature checks for:
A) Gathering plants for alchemy. If the check is failed, destroy the plant instead of gathering.
B) Recognising some types (mud or vines) of difficult terrain from afar. Otherwise, we shouldn't know that it's difficult terrain till we step in it.
C) Telling illusion from reality, when it comes to hiding one type of plants with another (the swamp).
D) Recognising poisonous fruits (apples from the swamp).
4. Wisdom-based.
4.1. Add Insight checks where they should be (someone lying to us, pretending in front of us, hiding truth, suffering from inner conflict).
I already mentioned it as a part of conversations and cutscenes problems. Only wish to add here that without those checks the skill is practically useless at the moment, while it could help us avoid some problems and for example lead to Kagha's betrayal investigation.
4.2. Add some Medicine checks in the game.
So far I saw that skill being used only once. While it's supposed to allow us to stabilise downed comrades at the very least. In actual D&D 5E the skill is quite useless too, but here some thoughts on how it could be used with some homebrew:
A) Stabilizing downed party members without any additional materials.
B) Slightly(1d4+Medicine) healing downed party members with consumption of a healer's kit.
C) Applying as a modifier to consuming healing potions ourselves.
D) Checks for corpses to understand what killed them by wounds.
E) Checks for side quests and dialogs where it suits. For example: burning inn quest could make us treat scorches on those whom we just saved after a check, the tiefling with broken legs in the grove could also use a Medicine check.
4.3. Add some Survival checks in the game.
One more heavily underused skill, while our characters are pretty much in a situation that asks for this skill to be used. Here where the checks could be applied with two drops of homebrew:
A) Searching for our camp for the first time.
B) Stages of improving our camp.
C) Gaining more useful loot from crates and barrels.
D) Modifier for short rest healing.
E) Allowing spellcasters to restore a spell slot on short rest based on a roll with DC20.
Last edited by Zellin; 17/11/20 03:35 PM. Reason: Better formatting
