Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Some stats max 22, others 20?

I don't know that I'm complaining, necessarily. I just don't understand.

Strength can go up to 22 naturally, if you drink a certain potion. It can go to 23 if you wear a certain item. It can briefly go to 21 or 27 if you drink certain elixirs.

Meanwhile...

Dexterity can go up to 20 naturally. If you wear a certain item, it can go straight to 18.

Why are there so many more options for strength? And why can strength permanently go so much higher than dexterity? All that seems to do is make strength builds inherently better for long term play.

One could argue that dexterity has the additional benefit of adding to initiative, but I don't think that's a strong position. For one, there are tons of items that add bonuses to initiative. For two, there's a feat (and some class choices, for that matter) that takes care of initiative concerns. For three, strength comes with its own set of rewards, like the distance of jump, being able to pick things up and throw them, and shoving.

*

These aren't the only two stats where this seems to be an issue.

Charisma can go up to 22 (if you wear a certain item). But what about wisdom and intelligence?

*

Again, I don't know that I'm complaining so much as I simply don't understand the reasoning behind this.

Dex also adds to AC. High dex might become too much for certain builds (boost to attack, defence, initiative).

Several trains of thoughts here.

In TT, 20 is the normal maximum and most features respect that cap until you get to very high level. Then you find items or earn epic boons that break the 20 ceiling and go all the way up to 30. This is a given.

Now Larian has capped BG3 at 12, which is lower Tier 3, but we're getting Tier 4 items anyway. That's CRPGs for you, although Larian could've dialled it down a bit, where's the plain +3 items?

Moving to your question, why aren't all stats getting more or less equal treatment? Good question! Ticking every box without narrative reason is a bad idea imo. They could've put a Periapt of Wisdom in, maybe they did! But that story got cut?

I notice complete lack of Ioun stones. So no +2's from those whizzing around your PC's head. Possibly an animation thing, possibly by design. 5E generally has items that grant set scores rather than adding +'s, Ioun stones excepted. BG3 has a few +2 items; weapons and monk clothes, and all for Str/Dex, the usual martial attack stats.

There's also BG1&2 legacy, Girdle of giant strength and Gloves of dexterity. Maybe certain items simply got priority. Poor Nymph cloak!

My question is, why no +2 or +3 shields??

When you look at dnd 5e, which is the base of this game, strengh based builds become pretty weak at higher levels. I'm assuming Larian added all those strengh buffs to please those players who enjoy playing strong melee fighters. But they might have overdone it a bit.

The hat that buffs cha by 2 is notacably weaker in combat than other hats you can find in this game. I guess the main purpose of it to help with shop prices and conversations, which have far more impact than intelligence checks. I mean, honestly, if there was a hat that buffed intelligence by 2 I could think of one single interaction in the entire game where it would be worth using it.

Charisma hat is quite useful on your charisma caster or paladin. For a Paladin, it is plus one on all saves in an aura. Not bad. Along with the usual charisma bonuses

Especially when wearing Armor of Agility (medium armor that doesn't limit dexterity bonus to AC). Not to forget the utility you get from bonus to slight of hands.

Plus you can push dexterity to 22 if you want to by using a certain mirror in Act 3.