Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Way of True Soul - more options - playing a (hob)goblin?

Hi BG3-Community,

i apologize in advance for my bad english-skills

I appreciate that there is a storyline if you wan't to support the absolute and the goblin camp - i call it "Way of True Soul" and i wish that this way will experience an expansion.
How about to expand this way with more options?
Maybe Minthara wish to be the only one leader (or the other ones wish to strengthen their position within the forces of the Absolute),
maybe you can influence how the forces of the Absolute are acting. It isn't very creative that the "bad guys" are slaughtering down everyone else, only because they are called the "bad" ones. Enslaving, creating vassals or win allies - in other words: increase their power by diplomacy - should be an option for the leaders of the Absolute, especially if they have such intelligent characters like Minthara,
maybe you can get more informations about the Absolute and about the (hob)goblins living in the goblin-camp, like the people living in the druid-camp - some individual side-storys

i think it would be more interesting, when the so called "bad" ones, can give you another picture of the happening - that maybe they are not so "bad", like humans, druids, and so one are referring about them, and that the others not so "good" as they say about themselves.

In this context to play a goblin or hobgoblin as your own character (like you do in D&D or pathfinder) would be realy exciting - not only to join as a goblin the forces of the Absolute but also to experience, how it would be, if a goblin decides to support the tieflings, or the druids.

I was very impressed by fallout new vegas, how they integrated the legion as another main-story-line - with different options and ways, not simply as the antagonist of the "good" guys.

I hope I'm not the only one, with this wish.

Thank you for reading

And maybe you should be able to speak with Drogr Ragzlin about his love to Minthara

Definitely want to play as a Hobgoblin

Considering how the game story is setup I think that’s hard to do. Goblin characters will be difficult as they will either be killed on sight or imprisoned by the tieflings and druids.

The other choice would be to bypass the entire grove which takes away from the current narrative.

True, but isn't that the case with most monstrous races? They aren't tremendously common (Edit: And in many cases feared), and (at least in my homegames) it's generally easier to attempt to hide your monstrous features (Disguise Self, etc). Many people still like to play them.

It’s just more so with goblins because well, the grove is currently fighting them. With the current story, it’ll be hard to implement goblin player races.

I tend to avoid monster races in games in general. It’s a burden and once discovered you sometimes force others to play along. Because either your character should have been killed or exiled, which obviously ruins and disrupts the game. Or the DM has to make some contrived story and the others have to accept it so you can continue to play that monster.

Mind you, this is my experience. I’m sure others have other opinions.

Understood! I don't see anything invalid about what you've said. It's one of the drawbacks about monstrous races but that doesn't stop people from wanting to/enjoying playing as them. I'm inclined to think there are ways it could work (As I mentioned, Disguise Self, etc. A hobgoblin stopping the other goblins in the first encounter could potentially be an excuse) and I would point to Shadowhearts reaction to a Gith player character as an example of talking your way out of immediate hostility.

Slightly related, I've noticed a lot of people concerned about the story from the goblins perspective not having enough 'draw' (This is arguable but not necessarily the point I'm hoping to address here), Playing a goblinoid could give you more options to explore their side of the conflict. (Going all in for an evil playthrough)

If Larian can find a better evil route where you can realistically play a goblin? Sure!

Just right now it’s hard to do. And I don’t know if Larian would want to completely cut off a whole section of the map because of a race choice.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree the initial point then (which is totally fine!), but I'm not convinced playing a goblinoid would automatically lock you out of Grove content, just adds the challenges that naturally come with playing a monstrous race.

Either way, I imagine they have a list of other races to add long before goblinoids

Well, how would you allow a player goblin to enter the grove? Disguise Self can work but the character would have to make a check with every npc they encounter, every day.

I'm curious if you have a solution. If you do, it doesn't hurt to let Larian know.

Right, so first off for clarity, I'm not suggesting it should be easy!

Disguise Self is an option. Personally I wouldn't force a player to make a check *every time* they interact with someone (so long as they maintain the disguise) but certainly the first time they interact with anyone.

Charm Person

An actual disguise (Though I don't think they've implemented that as a mechanic so not a strong argument)

A high DC persuasion/Intimidation check born from saving the grove from the goblin attack

Sending in the other members of your party while you stay behind

Edit: Saving Halsin before going to the grove

Edit 2: For morally ambiguous characters, perhaps using the tadpole

Edit 3: Maybe more work than necessary but maybe they put you in the cage with Sazza for another opportunity to make a persuasion check

Edit 4: Maybe a deception check invoking the two tieflings you meet who were interacting with Laezel

Edit 5: If you are playing a druid, perhaps a unique dialogue to force an entry to go interact with the druids



Edit 5: Also noteworthy, Just because you *might* be able to persuade Zevlor to let you in, doesn't mean they have to like you. This can manifest through rude dialogue, maybe higher prices from the vendor, etc. You could also potentially work to change their mind about you through certain actions like saving arabella and the Harpy Kid.

I'll add more ideas if I think of any

There are many ways to allow a goblin to actually enter the grove, one of the biggest being that they help the people outside the grove and therefor a few would recognize them as not "the bad kind" but there would be challenges and consequences.

They fighting Drows too, especially the Tieflings, but they let you in, if you playing a Drow.

If they see, a goblinoid killing the attacking goblins, it will be the main reason to let you enter the grove. And yes, they will be warily and you have to suffer some disadvantages.

Technically Baldurs Gate 3 starts in the best way possible to enable the biggest variety of Races.
A Nautiloid snatching people from all over dimensions even!


But I wonder how indepth Larian wants to go.
Hobs are no problem either.
But whatever they might still add in the future, I just hope the reactions will be fine tuned like at least a 800% more.

The way people reacted to a Drow underwhelmed me a bit.
Of course that made it easier for us to test the EA version which is all that counts for now, but in a release version I would really see them reluctant
° to open the gates for the Grove right away
° to speak with me if they are surface Elves ( Drow are notorious to hate/hunt them )


Just how we can just access the center of the map easily by being "a Drow in the sun".
The Goblins let themself be fooled.
And I really liked that part of the game. It felt very immersive.

I also hope for adding some possibilities ...
But i dont like the idea of "goblins telling their side of story" ... everyone being good from their point of wiev, everyone working for they own good goals ... man, its such a cliché. -_-
I was so happy to finaly see some group, that is plundering and raiding everyone else, bcs they simply CAN! And you try to destroy it.

Yes that’s an issue I personally have. Like I said with monster races. When you build a certain narrative and your players go against it because they want to play whatever then you have to make concessions even if it breaks some of the immersion.

Drow would also not be welcome in the current scenario. If BG3 were tabletop and I were the DM, players who chose to play drow would be attacked and imprisoned. I think that reaction is more appropriate considering the current hostility.

I agree, they are too gullible - they should be more mistrustful and warily.
But their situation is desperate and they need every support, they can find. I think it's realistic, that they wouldn't be hostile, if they see, a drow or a goblinoid is slaughtering their enemys, without gaining an obvious advantage from it.
Edit: Goblinoids or Drows are no worgs or gnolls, and i assume that tieflings know the difference between them and monsters

Also noteworthy within the lore of the world there have been increasing numbers of good aligned Drow thanks to the actions of Drizzt Do'Urden. (Edit: Far from mainstream, but established as not impossible)

notcreative put it really well. There is a big difference between the baser, more monstrous of the monster races like Gnolls and the smarter monstrous races like Drow and Hobgoblins (remember Hobgoblins get an Int bonus in Volos).



On the topic of places attacking monstrous races immediately, I think there are another couple of factors to keep in mind. I think a shadier place like Baldur's Gate would be much more likely to let certain races in than someplace like Candlekeep. And depending on how various DM's and players choose to manifest the 'good' of good aligned places/characters, I can imagine coming to think something like 'I won't throw the first punch but I'll keep a close eye on them' as a logical conclusion when dealing with a monstrous race that is behaving in a good manner.

The grove is in danger of being razed by goblins. This isn’t a normal situation. I can’t see how anyone would trust any goblin in that situation. There’s too many risks.

Same goes for drow. I fully understand concessions have to be made to allow players to play certain races but there’s a lot compromises to make it so. To me there’s a lot of suspension of disbelief.

Quite frankly I’m shocked the tieflings and druids were so welcoming to a random group of adventurers. But I get it. Cuz story and it’s a game. Doesn’t make it logical.

I'd still like to play a Hobgoblin and if (from your line of thought) missing out on actually going into the Grove (or from my line of thought, having to deal with a bunch of lucky roles to get in there, posted above) is a consequence, so be it. I'll just go through it with another character on another playthrough.

Unfortunately as I mentioned, I imagine Larian will be implementing several other races before goblinoids, if they add goblinoids at all.

I've said my piece on it and I respect your perspective, @spectralhunter.