Originally Posted by Saito Hikari
Originally Posted by IrenicusBG3
I played the Definitive Edition and the level curve was very harsh. I would even say the game is pseudo-nonlinear given that you can only pick enemies one level above you which leads to a very linear pathway. Never really understood the praise for DOS2.

Yeah, most people say D:OS2 peaked in Act 2 which was the most open and free-form act in the game, but in reality you had a very non-linear path through the entire act, literally to the point where maps exist showing what level range you're expected to be to tackle most content throughout that act. If you tried to tackle other locations way ahead of time, it was usually to open up as many teleport locations as possible and attempt to get an early head start ahead of the level curve through non-combat exploration EXP.

[Linked Image from divinityoriginalsin2.vidyawiki.com]

If there's one thing I'd change about the map, it's that I'd add a note saying not to even attempt to tackle the final boss of the Blackpits area until later, because she's by far the hardest boss of the chapter and is level 15/16 herself IIRC. If you must fight her as soon as you run into her, you'd better have a plan or have the ability to flee from battle, because your only objective was taking the tablet that causes her to appear and fight you to begin with. And for whatever reason the boss that you were retrieving the tablet for is 1-2 levels below her.

Agreed. I recall one point during that act, where I was running out of things I could beat, so I could get that extra level, so I could actually get around the map.
I think the witch in BG3 is very difficult to beat at level 4, and before I knew of the level cap being 4, I was going around trying to find something that could make us advance, so I could return to her. That's not good gameplay, unless you like MMO grind, and your immersion is not broken by "Hey, we'll be back to fight you once we've toughnened ourselves up some!" There could be some dynamic balancing, like encounters in NWN would scale with the levels.