Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Help Tips & Tricks New Player here. What spells/abilities offer dialogue branches / options to watch out for?

Hi there!

So I'm new here. I played the heck out of Baldur's Gate 1 and a little of 2, though I'm afraid I missed out on Divinity Sin. I might go back and play it before this goes full release, but that's another story. Still, I've been hearing more and more good things about BG3 here, and I caved and watched a few videos on it, and I'm excited to try the game out. I'm planning to get it soon as a reward for dealing with a real life hurdle. Anywho, I've seen how dialogue branches can open if you are a specific race or class (which is going to make the re-playability on this huge) though I've also seen that a few abilities can open up new branches, such as casting detect thoughts or speak with animals. I don't want to watch TOO much and start learning what's going on before playing the game myself, yet I'm wondering how detailed this system goes. I can't imagine EVERY spell opening new dialogue options, but maybe I'm wrong here.

Really, I'm curious to what races/classes/abilities open up options as I don't know how many runs I'll get at this. I'd hate to be a wizard and not pick the spell I needed to do X, or pick the one race that doesn't have any interactions. Hopefully this makes sense, as this sounds vague to me and I know what I mean lol.

Hello there

Don't worry too much of missing out content, the game is made in a way that sometimes not having a detect thoughts or not succeeding a very difficult persuasion/intimidation leads to a more interesting outcome. Anyway, if you like to have a glimpse at every dialogue choice possible, there are several options available to all classes and races:

- potions of animal speaking
- scrolls of detect thoughts
- several ways to speak with the dead

Also for your request, I can recommend playing a class that can cast Disguise Self to pretend to be any possible race in any given circumstance.
Those are wizards (on creation), warlocks (lvl2 special choice), rogues (lvl3), clerics (trickery domain)

Neprostoman pretty much covered all the spells.

• Speak With Animals
• Speak With The Dead
• Detect Thoughts

As far as races go though, the most meaningful are:

• DROW - They get the most unique treatment, dialogue choices and even Drow specific scenes. On top of that both Lolth-Sworn and Seldarine Drow each have their own unique dialogue choices which are very interesting and opposite of each other.
• GITHYANKI - Second best to experience different treatment and unique dialogue choices, especially when it comes to a certain companion.

The rest of the races however pretty much receive the same treatment and similar dialogue choices. Naturally they all have some unique acknowledgements from NPCs around the world and dialogue choices, but Drow and Githyanki are on a completely different level when it comes to the amount of world immersion, scenes, acknowledgement and unique dialogue choices.

My favorite are definitely; Drow, Githyanki and Tiefling.

As for classes... that would be impossible to even begin comparing as every single class has unique dialogue choices and flavor, depending on the situation. Barbarians for example have unique choices where they lose control, can smash things open and intimidate people. Rogues get unique choices when it comes to shady deals and scams. Rangers get unique choices when it comes to wilderness and survival. Clerics get unique choices when it comes to religion and Gods. Sorcerers can recognize magic in the air. So each class has unique dialogue depending on the situation.

I'd add Deep Gnome to that list - not quite as much good stuff as drow, but still some great unique flavour in places and unlike drow you can't use the Disguise Self spell to mimic the effects. I've not done a Githyanki run yet, so can't compare that.

With respect to classes, I agree it's not possible to compare though I do feel that the newer classes (druid, sorceror, barbarian, bard) perhaps got some extra love when it comes to specific dialogue and hopefully Larian will go back to the original classes and flesh out their options.

Then of course background can add to flavour as well, as you'll get different inspirations/rewards, so there I'd suggest avoiding the backgrounds your companions have to maximise the variety you see, though not at the expense of not creating the character you want.

In general, though, I'd just agree with the advice to go for it and not worry too much. It's only early access so you're not going to be stuck with one character for hundreds of hours and can even try a few to see how that changes the experience. In most cases, there are different ways to get the same info or outcome so you're not missing out on vast swathes of content by picking one character over another, just nuance and flavour. I'd just pick whatever most strikes your fancy.

I wanted to post a link to this thread.

Someone called fireundubh datamined dialogue lines using Race or Class tags, and aggregated the results. So if you want to choose a Race-Class combination to maximise the number of special dialogue options, you could look up the tabkes.

Well, sadly, right now, the website seems unavailable. I'd still suggest checking the linked thread, and following the link to Reddit. To get an idea of what was behind the numbers (there are a number of small prints to bear in mind).

Nice! Good to have some empirical evidence to back up impressions.

Another thing that occurred to me after seeing that the reddit mentions Shar - whom I haven't tried playing a cleric of - is that I did enjoy playing a cleric of Selune both for discussion of things you come across in game and also some dialogue with Shadowheart, though I do feel that needs more work. Perhaps when we get more of the story of what happened in Moonhaven and environs ...

I agree, the new classes definitely seem to have more flavor in them ^^

Barbarian is my most played class and it's amazing to me how much of a difference in dialogue immersion the Wildheart and Berserker sub-classes are. Wildheart being the angry yet still somewhat reasonable boy, but the Berserker being an outright fully pissed-off at all times abomination of uncontrollable godly rage in full caps. Kill first and ask questions NEVER!

• Wildheart - "Your life is the only thing you truly own. Leave before I take that away".
• Berserker - "LEAVE OR DIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!"

Absolutely hilarious

If you are curious, you can check how many lines of dialogue per sex, race, class, deity, alignment and background there are here : https://wiki.fireundubh.com/baldursgate3/dialogue-options

So to have to most complete early access playthrough, you would have to play a male berserker barbarian githyanki, with Wyll, Astarion and Laezel.

EDIT : Oh, someone already posted this link.

the Wizard has only two spells i'd call key; at spell level one thats 'magic missile' which is currently OP because the counter spell of 'shield' isn't in the game and at spell level two you want 'invisible' because getting into places and taking things you don't own is so much of the games hidden design

You forgot bards. They get that spell too.

Good Thread!

After I failed in my first attempts to play because of the too hard fights, I would like to start over again. I'm not familiar with D&D race classes and spells.

Can you recommend me an "easy to play" starting character. (Maybe Barbarian is even an idea.)
I like playing paladin guys in RPGs. So melee with a few healing spells and sturdy enough to stay alive.

Destroy boxes and doors instead of using a lockpick. (I lokie to know whats inside chests or behinde private-doors)
Not losing your life immediately on a triggering trap. Healing spell and keep walking.

Bow Figther is also possible, but as I see if the enemie is to near bow is bad working in this game, so maybe a swordsman is better?

I had a lot of fun playing a barbarian, they're a pretty straightforward class and they have some fun interactions as well. They get the most hp of any class and they're a pretty much a one role party member, a good place to start.

As Sozz mentioned, barbarian can be a good choice, but they get only 2 skills to start with, and from the limited pool, so some non-combat interactions may feel lacking.
Light Domain cleric seems a good choice as well, good defence, good damage, has a big spell pool to choose from. It has a similar problem with skills though. I guess ranger-beastmaster is pretty well-rounded and rather strong - keep your distance and let your bear/spider do all the hard work, hide in a fog cloud if danger comes. It also has a variety of skills to choose from.

I can vouch for the Barbarian.

I start every major content update with a Barbarian Zariel Tiefling Berserker (Guild Artisan) 16STR/14WIS/14CHA and 17INT with Warped Headband of Intellect, with Perception and Intimidation proficiency. For me is the best way to experience everything the new content update has to offer, as your damage output is insane when required, a huge amount of carry weight and you cover basically all ability roll checks throughout the game, especially since Zariel Tieflings have Thaumaturgy to give you advantage on Performance and Intimidation. So it ends up being a jack-of-all-trades for story and an absolute beast for combat.

Especially with Guidance and Shadowheart's "Enhance Ability" spell which can be used to cover the more challenging ability roll checks.

Other class would be a Ranger Drow 17DEX/14WIS/14CHA and 17INT with Warped Headband of Intellect. Very versatile class. I personally focus on ranged combat and have a shield on her, so she ends up being a very agile archer with permanent 23 AC that almost never gets hit, but she is deadly even in melee range.

Thanks for the infos. So I''ll try the barbarian first.

I try it! Maybe its an idea, but seams I need much healing potions or better clothing! I manage to leave the ship and got all the party members. But the first fight near the hain door is so borring, so difficult, two members (astarion and gale) nearly dead after 10 minutes and seams my party did not much damange.
The enemies are killed from Zevlor , Aradin and the others there. My hero manage to produce 5 damange!

I hope there will be an very easy mode soon! I dont understand this way to fight. Ok gale manage to produce 6 damange with his fire, one time. Short before he was knocking down.

BG3 has a smaller number of (what I think are) more meaningful fights than many real-time with pause competitors, but individual fights can last quite a while and you do generally have to think about them more rather than just charging in. And particularly early on, D&D characters can be squishy and not do a lot of damage, though BG3 isn’t as bad as BG1 for that. There’s also a learning curve, and I find most (though not all) fights pretty easy now, but there was a fair bit of dying in earlier playthroughs.

I’m sure there will be easier and harder difficulty levels with the full release, but in the meantime perhaps some people here can recommend some good BG3 combat tactics videos to watch? If so, I’d be interested in them too!

@Alix i would try sorcerer or wizard as better options for the clueless because most of the game can be won with Magic missile spam and a Dwarf or giff gets to wear the armour that new players think is important too... what weapon is your hero using that only managed small damage?

a spell that 100% hits tends to make a simple game... imo almost too easy, then you can try talking as the sorcerer too unlike most Barbarian builds but its each to their own with D&D so you will learn best on charactres you like to use

By the way, and I suppose it’s a bit irrelevant as you’re past it now and anyway I’m no expert on combat tactics.

But the grove gate fight is pretty easy if you bring your party onto the bluff that overlooks the entrance and trigger the fight there, rather than come through the gully to the gate. If you’re up there, your squishier ranged characters are kept away from the harder hitting goblins and have the benefit of high ground, and your melee characters can help pick off the lower HP back lines of the goblin party while the goblin melee fighters concentrate on Aradin and friends. You can move your party forward to help finish off any of the goblin front line still alive after the booyahg and archers are dead.

In early patches, taking this approach would often lead to one or more deaths in Aradin’s party unless you helped them, but I think they’ve got better at staying alive since.

With a lot of the fights, there’s something similar you can do to help the environment favour you.

I use female Barbarian Berserker Lolth-Drow. He got a 2 handed Swort and I give a Bow later too.

The bow hit with 40-60% and create 5-6 damange. The sword more damange but I must run to the enemie first and most of the time no chance to hit because the enemie is to far away.

And 2 Attacks are enouth an my barbarian is nearly death. If I use a healing potion I need to find a way to create or buy fresh ones, but I found no trade for now.

In my first try 5 months ago I reach somehow the goblin camp and got a big fight there!
After about one hour! 5 of 15 goblins are death and my party was out of healing potions.
So I finish the game at this point. One hour and 5 of 15 enemies?

I dont want to play a fighting game! But I read the fights will be shorter now with a patch. So I want to give the game a new chance.

Barbarion seams a good Idea... I try to collect and save as much healing potions as possible before I goto the goblin camp.
So using healing potions is no idea in the first fights. I read you can goto camp each time, only need something to eat. Hope to find enouth of this.