Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - General New players and the problem with Shar

"The internet" doesn't apply here for player background knowledge. "It's in the comics" is an even weaker argument.

When I'm watching a LotR movie I won't be pausing it to do extensive online research because the script fails to set the stage properly and explain what I need to know. And the LotR trilogy does explain everything you need to know even if you're never read the books because the filmmakers are professionals. You should expect Larian to be equally proficient in telling a story through an RPG. I'm not going to exit the game and start doing research, I just want to enjoy the game. For the writers, that means focusing and introducing content slowly enough and they are struggling at that because they tend to think grandiose and amazing rather than personal and emotional (how BG1 started).

Deep lore is necessary for a good story, though. And while FR's may not be the best of the best, it can certainly holds its own if implemented properly. That it doesn't, and it fails to hold up to scrutiny, is all on Larian.

Why have Shadowheart wear what she does if no one's gonna notice, neither the druids who've got history with Shar nor the Chosen of Mystra? Why have her reveal feel like such a contentious moment, when they skipped any kind of build-up to it (would have just needed the aforementioned people giving a brief history lesson after questioning)?

Frankly, like someone else said, i think they're just throwing everything at the wall and see what sticks. The story they decided to go with exposes the player to mindflayers, vampires, fiends, cambions, Shar, playable and non-playable drows and gith. All that within the first few hours of play. I'd honestly be more shocked if the whole thing didn't feel halfbaked at large.