Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Paid the Price; Feedback

Spoilers I guess for a quest with the potion lady in the druids grove.

So I was curious about Aunty Ethel's "deal" and made the obvious bad decision to go along with her removing my eye in exchange for removing the tad pole.

Long story short, she fails but you still "lose" your eye. The penalty you get is disadvantage on perception checks and losing the ability to Crit.

Now don't get me wrong, I love and am all for consequences for these sort of things. I love permanent changes to your character for story related reasons.

However, I feel that losing a core game mechanic is pretty gimping. As far as I know, there is no way to remove the debuff. I think the devs should consider making the debuff less severe.

There is also Volo's ezrat eye, I think it should be able to replace your eye. If they want to keep the no crits debuff, atleast let us have a way to restore the eye with magic or replace it!

And, finally, they should keep the cool look they have over your eye in the cutscene! You don't see it anywhere else but should be always visible because it's a really cool look.

Just my thoughts, otherwise a very fun questline with cool decisions.

Agreed ...

Also, if having just one eye means you cant do crits ... how is Wyll capable of them? :P

And little advice: I resolved problem with this by using my least favourite companion for the procedure ... often Astarion ... who i often give to that Gur hunter. This way my group have information they have, and bobody important was crippled. :P

Yes when I tried Aunty Ethel deal, I was very surprised of this !
From one way that's interesting to see negative permanent changes, I never saw that in other video games I think. It's really a feel of tabletop RPG.
From another, my first reaction was to load my previous backup, as most of us, I like optimized characters, and I cannot call a dungeon master and come back with a new character in the game.

Did you report the bug for the videos ? I'm not sure they will correct all the faces in the game due to that, but that should worth mentionning to Larian teams.
If you need the link : https://larian.com/support/baldur-s-gate-3?ver=4.1.1.2064610#feedback

I struggled through the debuff in one of my playthroughs. It was very doable actually. I think we are afraid of the words "Can't" and "Reduced" a lot, while in fact those would go mostly unnoticed.

Also, there should be a way to remove it. I think there is a spell in DND that can remove curses. This can be a good way to deal with the drawback, if they implement it.

There is :
- Remove Curse : 3th level spell and casters only get access to it at Level 5 (others at Level 9).
- Greater Restoration : 5th level spell and casters only get access to it at Level 9.

If it's actually a curse, both could apply. If not, Greater Restoration might be the only solution.

Considering how strong of a debuff this is, I would agree that it would be nice to, at least, be able to reduce the debuff afterward, if not remove it entirely.
Or reduce the debuff from the get-go (if it's going to be permanent).

Is Remove Curse already in the game? SH should have it at least at Level 5.
Has someone tried?

I am unsure about both spells. Technically, I see the whole thing as an operation. I don't know if both spells restore body parts? On the other hand, I haven't found a satisfactory answer in a hurry:
https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonsAndDragons/comments/f3hpnn/what_spells_can_restore_limbsbody_parts/

I don't mind that the Hag's eye incurs a penalty. It should considering what Aunty does to it, but being unable to crit is a bit much. There are subclasses like great old one warlocks whose kits require crits for optimal/full use. (Yet funnily enough seems like they would be the most likely of the classes to take the Hag's deal). The debuff is punishing to the point that it really feels like it rewards meta-gaming the outcome.

I really really really wish they would remove inability to crit from one-eyed status in general. It's silly and not at all how being one-eyed works. I really don't see how having a blind spot and impaired depth perception would make you unable to hit something (even by accident) in a vital point.

I'm someone who vehemently hates that status effect, but I do think it's reasonable from an in-game perspective. It certainly makes sense to me that if you lose your eye then it's going to be a while before you can relearn the skill to really hit vital points. You might still be able to hit them by accident, but making that work in game would probably be complicated. I wonder how viable it would be for them to implement something where, if you crit in battle, you have to do another dice roll to confirm your crit, thus making it less likely?

I am pretty sure I have seen remove curse among Shadow heart spells. It would be worth giving a go - unfortunately I already murdurised the hag in my play through.

Still I think that adjusting to one eye and relearning skill can be better portrayed in a debuff that just generally damages perception and coordination. Taking away all critical hits forever is silly.

I agree. If you're a sniper and you're looking through the scope of your rifle, you only do it with one eye. Even if you don't have a scope, you close one eye to focus and aim at the target. Therefore, weakening the chance of hitting the target makes no sense.

I would rather debuff the acrobatics because the sense of balance is more difficult with only one eye.

Oh also something to add. I tried to trick the Hag by giving her Volo's eye and it didn't work or lead to anything new unfortunately. I freed Volo and got his eye before going to see Ethel. Volo's operation happens to the characters right eye (I watched that disturbing cutscene closely to make certain). So when Ethel asked which eye I wanted to offer I told her that one which at this point had been replaced with Volo's magic eye. I was hoping this would lead to either A. tricking the hag and avoiding the debuff, or B. A scene where the Hag realizes I paid with a fake eye. Neither happened. Scene unfolded normally. Debuff still hit.

I then tried the opposite. I went to the Hag ASAP and gave her my right eye. Then I sprung Volo. When it came time to do his quest I was actually unable to get the operation. After Volo pulls out the needle your character says something about only having one good eye and being unable to lose another. I was hoping since I gave the hag my right eye, that Volo would remove the Hag's eye then I could replace it with the magic eye. No luck. Seems that if you have the Hags eye it doesn't differentiate which eye beyond cosmetics.

Volo’s Eye is worth the price. Especially if you plan ahead (Iknow…. Meta gaming). If your Chr based MC maxes at 15 or17, you can put INT at 9 or 11. Dropping one ASI point value to boost CHR with a 2 ASI value.

However the hags eye price is an absolute hard debuf without a trade off…

Yeah, the incredibly small boost to intimidation checks is definitely not worth losing the ability to crit forever.

Except that we don't use sniper rifles in this game, we use bows. Using bows, you absolutely keep both eyes open, you just focus with your dominant eye and use you non dominant eye to allow you see your surroundings and allow you depth perception .

Balancing is more difficult with only one eye? Huh. Your inner ear is what controls balance, not your eyes .

Now that it only affects perception and persuasion checks it is only...still ridiculously terrible. I did not think there was any way in heck they would leave it in with no cure for the entire game. I'm playing a ranger/sorcerer with the urchin trait who acts as a scout and trap disarmer. Except now he misses half of the darn traps! I bought an item that gives advantage on perception checks but apparently the Hag's eye curse nullifies that as well. I was hoping it would make it a wash and just set me back to baseline, even if the weapon is bleh at best compared to what I was previously using, at least it would let me find most things again. Nope. The curse just wipes out the buff. Lesser Restoration doesn't work. Remove Curse doesn't work. Bloody "Heal," which is supposed to fix EVERY physical malady does not work. I don't get it.

PC fans seem near unanimous in that it is a bit too steep of a price considering she could not hold up her end of the bargain. At all. If it is taking away fun for P&P CRPG vets who are used to DM's making the occasional *awful* call, imagine the backlash from console players? I bet that literally ruins the game for a ton of them, and don't kid yourself, about half will be playing versions of Aragorn who can no longer do his job as a Ranger because he keeps stepping on things ;^) .

I have very, very few gripes about this game, but that is probably a top 3 *fun* stealer. I tried to play with it, no, I did play with it. I'd have to go back literally 200+ hours in my first playthrough of the full game to change my pick. 20 Wisdom and I am still walking into ambushes and missing the obvious half of the time. I just can't believe that 277 hours into a playthrough, of which I have been max level for the last 100 or so hours, there is still no cure to be found. Craziness. That's another minor problem (the level cap) as there is just way too much content for completionists to force them to be basically stuck for over 100 hours with a maxed out character with pretty much no way to improve...well anything at this point. I'm not getting better gear, or at least not noticeably. All I can do is try to tie up loose ends and try to fix what I can before the finale. Except it appears I can't fix a bunch of them. Erg. The level cap I get as that would cost tens if not hundreds of thousands to add new spells, new effects, re-balance etc...but the Hag Curse?

Oh well, if that is my biggest complaint about the game (it also makes the character look weird) then it truly is a masterpiece. Yep. That is probably number 2 for me in things that I would change. First would be the level cap and I already understand that I'll have to mod that in on my second playthrough if I want a higher level cap for financial reasons if nothing else. Then the Hag. Then the no console command line. After that it's the crafting system, or lack thereof. Divinity had a much better system for crafting. This is the worst I've seen in an RPG since...it's the worst that I can recall in an RPG that had crafting. Alchemy is good and the few things we can craft are cool enough I guess. And not being able to romance Jaheira. Think about it. She'd be somewhere between 58 and 65 in human years depending on how she aged and how much elf she had in her. She's in great shape, eats a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, buts berries and fresh meat while being incredibly active. I think she'd still be pretty active in the friskyness department. Then we have real life. I *know* there are a ton of people 60+ who are playing BG3. I know a ton of people who were 40+ when BG2 came out and romanced Jaheira. Well, I know one. I bunked with a 47-year-old at GenCon 2001. I was covering it along with the release of NWN for a website. I'm just saying that I hope that was pulled for time reasons and not age reasons. A shape shifted Druid is fine. An alien is fine. But someone almost at retirement age? Well that is just pushing the envelope a little too far! Now please fix my eye Larian. Jaheira has better vision than I do.

Isn't the point with dealing with Hag is that you always going to lose something more than you bargain for?

I still think it should have something positive that comes with it also, aside from the bone charm whatever thing you get that lasts until the next long rest.

For instance, if it opened up extra abilities in some of the hag items, like the staff of crones or the ever seeing eye amulet. Like, maybe the ray of sickness on the staff could be used like a cantrip, or the amulet allowed you to see the invisible in addition to casting protection from good/evil. Just something with a bit more flavor.

*

I do like the initial look of the eye when the transition happens, but I notice that it fades after that first scene. It's nice that you can still tell there's been a change to the eye, but it ends up looking a bit too washed out and no longer has the damage around the outside of the eye.

*

As a side note, I've noticed a lot of things got tamed down a bit from early access. The eye no longer impacts crits. The gloves of power no longer curse the wearer if they don't have the brand. I sort of still miss parts of early access, like back when the underdark was so dark you couldn't see. Really felt like you were creeping through something dangerous. Now it has more of a wonderland feeling, at least to me.

Regeneration is a 7th level cleric spell, which is not in the game. For losing an eye, you need regeneration. Or to die and have Resurrection which regrows lost parts, another 7th level cleric spell.

Tbh, I expected to eventually find a high level cleric in Baldur's Gate, but no such luck.

The hag's eye you get does seem cursed to be bound to you. Not surprised 3rd level Remove curse doesn't work, but 5th level Dispel Evil should work, or even upcast Remove curse, maybe with a contested check. Guess it doesn't because reason.

"Heal" should work. "Greater Restoration" should work. Even better, an in-game plot solution should absolutely, 100% work. Like have one of Auntie Ethel's cursed bottles have some obscure name that will get rid of the effect so ppl won't have to wait until level 9 when they have access to the previous spells. A Pali breaks their oath and they get arguably more powerful. There are numerous other pretty major effects that only last until you rest, and this one, from a Hag, which you meet at low level can literally ruin the entire concept of your character. And yes, if you are playing a scout it absolutely tanks your character, if not from a game stand point since you can always use Astarian or respec someone else into the main scout, but you probably made a character focused on finding things bc that is what you wanted to play. I mean heck, a simple remove curse gets rid of the Necromancy of Thay debuff!?! It gets rid of Celestial debuffs. It get's rid of Djinn debuffs. But that 5th level Hag? Oh no no no, that's a bridge too far. A Hag who doesn't come close to keeping her side of the bargain. If they really wanted to be strict they could let it be something you needed, say either Rafael or an encounter with a/nother Hag or Fey creature to get rid of. Maybe give a Pixie the option of either giving you Shadow Curse immunity or _"Bringing the light"_ back to your eye since, though quite the pain, torches do do the job, and you can get a moon lantern at other places in the game save from the Drider.

I quit the playthrough with my cursed eye Ranger after being max level for over 150 hours. The two things in conjunction were just too much and I simply was not enjoying myself at all anymore. 200 hours with the curse was just a bridge too far. Kinda funny bc this character would be fine with the curse and it would not affect them at all. Literally. They fail perception checks almost as often as the Ranger did. Of course the cursed Ranger had two items that were supposed to give them advantage to perception checks which didn't appear to do much. A bit silly when a Tempest Cleric does in fact make a better scout than my 18 Wisdom/18 Dex (bracers) level 12 Gloomstalker. So many options in regards to how to handle _fixing_ this effect, but Larian seems to really be sticking to their guns here. It's too bad more people don't play scout classes, and I notice the ones who do tend to play them are far less inclined to do something that effects their character cosmetically. They are also far more likely to reload if something like this happens and not try to play through it, assuming it either "A." won't be that bad or *B.* assume, and naturally so, that there will eventually be a cure/mitigation for it. What's next, are they going to have an Efritti who burns out Bard vocal chords and scars their fingers so they can no longer play instruments? This debuff is that serious for the people playing certain concepts, but wtv. I know that I'll probably never play a Larian game, as great as they have been, without save scumming. Trying to play with something like this just to figure out 100 hours later that there is not going to be a solution makes taking that chance way too risky. I'll go back 5 real life, maybe even 10, but not 20 or 30, never mind 100+.