Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion Is the backstory to the game...

In 3 and half years I don't think I've ever even used the Dip mechanic. It was the first icon I removed from the hotbar when I ran out of space trying to for go a tripleclass spellcasting character, followed by improvised weapon which I also never used. This wasn't like trying to self nerf, I just never found myself using it, so it was the first thing on the chop chop block.

I think it's silly, the whole idea of coating our metal weapons in corrosive acids, or sticking my sword in live wire electricity, or lighting it on fire, certainly not with a candle lol. Just like Lae'zel, I balk at candles in this game! But honestly none of those are the reason I didn't really use dip - I didn't dip it because I found it perpetually inconvenient in the moment. Like trying to walk up to the edge of a poison puddle to dip an arrow or whatever, it just always seems like a wasted movement to do it spontaneously, and again, too silly to do it with purpose.

I find myself trying to avoid spells that create surfaces that can't be removed with fire because otherwise the VFX on the environment is perma. Using water only works for spots we don't have to return to constantly. It's particularly annoying if you cast any icy spell or a create water spell at camp, cause it doesn't go away. Using create water or tossing a water bottle to clean up is risky too, if you do it in the wrong spot. I tried to cover up my crimes as Durge by washing the blood into the river, but instead I just had blood and mud at camp for most of the first act. I totally ruined the Elfsong Tavern with an icestorm, now it looks like the place just got rocked with a hurricane level deluge. Pretty sure I did the same at the Last Light. It's super annoying that we can do nothing to get rid of those visual effects if we happen to create water at camp. Not that anyone is dipping swords in water, but it's like the only way to remove the other stuff that does do the dipty dip.

When it comes to weapons, maybe if we had scabbards it wouldn't seem quite as ridiculous. But I can't stand the sight of flaming weapons worn on the back. It's one of the most jank BG3 visuals I can think of off the top of my head, with perhaps the sole exception of Karlach rocking Zhalk's sword, where it basically works, but otherwise not so much.

I do think the idea of coating weapons with poisons is very much on theme though, and I like that this exists, though I'm not sure that dip is the right word for it. Dip makes me think of appetizers and icecream cones and stuff like that, as if we have a big dipping bowl or pool to submerge whatever inside it. I'm not sure there's any narrative explanation that could sell me on this one, though I guess sure, iron crisis must have gotten pretty nuts lol.