So during the later chapters BG3 will follow the D&D ruleset properly? Because one of the conclusions here is that the game kinda refuses to follow the rules.
BG2 differed immensely from the rules of 2.5. That's why there's literally dozens of options on the G3 mod to go back to pen and paper rules, 'true' grandmastery or whatever or to 'un-nerf tons of things BG2 had nerfed or powered up.
Could you please give us your HUGE list of things that had changed in the previous games ?
Because no... Not so much things were modified.
A few things were tweaked... For the best or not depending if you're a purist or not.
quite a few things, each one adding up to some major changes away from RAW - it is disingenuous to claim that BG1 and 2 were somehow super true to aDnD2(.5) since even a basic comparison between the RAW and the game allows you to see a huge number of changes which completely shape gameplay if you choose to let them.
The main thing being that as shipped the AI of enemies in BG1 and 2 is nothing like how they would react in a tabletop game. No moving out of cloud effects, no calls for help, no ability to open doors, no searching for enemies off screen - in fact i can imagine a forums post in 1998 complaining about how the game is cheesy because the battles are too hard unless you throw down a cloudkill and close the door.
A very major change, which i cannot over-stress the importance of, is the ability to very easily recharge wands and other charged items by selling and re-buying them form "just some guy" - this shapes the entire mid-game if you chose to use it since a 50 charge wand if fireball and 100 charge wand of monster summoning are all you need to play through BG1 and the first half of BG2 (this
is equivalent to "barrelmancy", i call it "wand-mancy," why play any other way when you can just spam wand of fire?") - and then you get a wand of cloudkill which can effectively do the same but better.
Another major change that shapes the whole game is that there are no attacks of opportunity (i.e. the fleeing rules under "retreat"), I think its impossible to overstate how this shapes the gameplay - there are zero consequences for leaving combat allowing both easy kiting and tank cycling, neither of which would be possible in the same way without the lack of fleeing attacks of opportunity.
Enemy mages in BG1 and 2 are nothing like PnP mages, instead of dangerous enemies who have spent their whole lives mastering magic they are the butt of every joke, hacked to pieces before they can even cast a spell. Feeble in every way.
Ability to change equipment on the fly is also a big one - sure you cant change armor, but you can change everythign else: gauntlets, belts, bracers, rings, cloaks, even shield on the fly in combat.
As far as enemy stats go, their health pools are all over the place compared to PnP RAW, fiends have noticeably been very tuned down, beholders are not immune to their own eyestalks (lmao shield of balduran), vampire abilities are tuned so far down its sad.
As far as stat implementation goes, high intelligence not giving illusion immunities, wisdom not giving saving throw bonuses/penalties for magical defenses and spell immunities at high levels, no implementation of charisma reaction adjustment in BG2, constitution not providing bonuses to save vs poison/death
Also: the existence of rest until healed, stacking potions (ever drank 10 potions of power/heroism in a row?), no penalties for firing ranged into melee (again a massive shaper of tactics away from 2nd ed RAW, allowing the classic 1 tank and 5 archers in BG1), HLAs (bioware homebrew), no lighting ranges/vision limitations and consequently broken/useless infravision, no paladin tithes, restrictions on wealth or restrictions on associates to lawful good, generic rather than RAW cleric weapon restrictions, no thief use scrolls" ability at 10th level, no ability for wizards to scribe scrolls at 9th level... the list goes on and on, many of which are significant enough to completely alter the game away from aDnD 2nd ed
