Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback My feedback about combat and leveling up, and a couple more things

This is my feedback after having played early access for 22 hours as a Tiefling Ranger. I started this game right after Patch 3. I'm a big fan of all your previous games, by the way. Love you guys, but thought I'd give you my thoughts.

1. DIFFICULT COMBAT: There needs to be an easy mode. I'm finding combat very difficult. I'm dying all the time even after having recruited the maximum number of companions. I feel like I was thrown right into hard mode as a new player, which is super frustrating.
In the goblin city ridiculous numbers of goblins show up to fight you, and their debuff spells are WAY overpowered. That sleep spell they have is so overpowered it's insane, and I haven't figured out any way to combat it yet. The spells they use are way too OP.

There needs to be an area with lower-level monsters where you can level up a little and learn your skills. The small number of fights you get on the mind flayer ship is not enough.

Also, characters miss hitting their target constantly. They even miss when standing literally right next to the monster. Something really unbalanced about that.

2. LEVELING UP: It's hard to level up. After 20 hours I'm still Level 2 and it seems like I should have progressed more than this, considering I keep running into monsters higher level than I am. I've tried to explore each area thoroughly, too, so it's not like I'm trying to rush through it. Maybe you need to give more XP for each kill or something. Also, there aren't any monsters in the wilderness to kill to help you level up, which is part of the problem.

3. COMPASS: We need a compass that's easy to see. It was hours before I even noticed that single letter "N" up there on the top right that indicates north, and you can't even see it unless you happen to be traveling east. If you aren't traveling east, the "N" is covered up and you can't even see it.

4. MOON PUZZLE: The moon puzzle in the Defiled Temple is unsolvable for me. I even cheated a bit and found a screenshot of what it was supposed to look like, and still couldn't do it. Gave up after spending 45 minutes on it. Not fun.

5. POOLS OF BLOOD: Why are there constantly giant pools of blood all over the beds at my camp? It's nonsensical.

With all that said, this is a great game with a huge amount of potential. (Not to mention aesthetically GORGEOUS!) I look forward to seeing what else you bring to Baldur's Gate.

Im wondering how you are still level 2, because on my two playthroughs i leveled up to 3 at the Druid's grove each time. on the first i participated in two battles, intellect devourers and the goblins at the gate then did some talking and rolls and i reached 3. If you managed to only be level two at the goblin camp and temple of Selune, it sounds like you encountered a glitch that halted your level ups

Do you want tricks for combats ?
With those, the normal difficulty level that is hard will become very easy

- always drop a candle or a torch on the ground to dip your weapons
- always jump with your melee characters to avoid attack of opportunity and to attack your ennemies in their back
- always jump with everyone to move further
- always go higher with your ranged characters

If you have the basics of D&D to create your characters, these 4 tips are the basics of BG3's combats.
Sad but True.

Agree with Cammy, your game must be bugged. You should hit level 2 shortly after hitting the beach and be around level 4 by the time you get to the goblin camp (depends on how many side quests you do around the druid grove).

You can also avoid an all out war with the goblins by sneaking in. There are a couple of alternate ways into the camp that make them think you belong there.

This game is easy when you understand how Larian wants us to play.
Whatever that means yeah.

I often have the impression this game is only tough when you don't know whats ahead.
You need to safe like every new room and then you are good.
If you run into something you couldn't see coming and it totally annihilates you -> just by knowing whats coming, you can prepare and prevail.
But I did not had that often.
Actually I only remember a single time that was overkill.

And that was when two stupid humanoid Bulls, known as Minotaurs, got everything handed to them for free, by making AoE-dmg to my group via jumps and having super OP charges at them and stuff like that.
When I understood their range and limitations, they were quickly reduced to being something pretty mediocre though.


Also -> alway collect food besides Healingpotions. Heal up with food if you don't plan to rest. Going in with base-100% is always good.

1. Tactics and positioning are important, also stealth can be of great help. For stealth, you will see cones on the ground, this is the enemy detection radius. Currently the AI is rather stupid when it comes to stealth, they won't move to look for you if they can't find you. Use this to your advantage until you get used to the combat system. When wandering around anywhere, consider using stealth or at least being cautious everywhere. It takes longer but patience keeps you alive. For the goblin camp, consider infiltration to scout the area, don't just fight your way in. You can fight them in groups, just don't start with Dror Ragzlin, he alerts all of them. High ground is your friend, always use it. You can also shoot out some ladders after you climb up them so the enemies can't follow you. Barrels can be moved around without repercussions(dumb AI), use these for exploding stuff if you want. As for constantly missing, sometimes the dice just hate you.

2. Not sure how you are still level 2. I kill as much stuff on the ship as possible before getting to the last part of it, then the path I take once off the ship takes me to Shadowheart first, usually after I kill the next enemies I have leveled up.

3. Something that helped me was to change the game setting to make the compass stay in a fixed direction. Can't remember the name of this.

4. When you are ready to fight things in the Underdark, there are several other ways to get there. You don't have to do that puzzle.

5. I had bodies at my camp on one playthrough. Not sure how they got there either but I couldn't even decorate with them. Probably after release, these types of things will go away after some time.

I fully agree with you there I'm currently level 4 party and have yet to get to the Goblin camp or the underdark

Just my 2 cents...but leveling up is way too quick. Instead of feeling like you are working towards that next level, you feel like you cruise through just to get to level 4. Experience is very high and goes to every character even if they are not in the party. After about an hour of game time I am level 4 and spend the rest of the time maxed out. Nerfing EXP and making it so only active characters get XP is a good start. Especially if the level limit for the game is going to be lower than 20.

Agreeing with OP on his one point about blood. There is blood galore everywhere during and after a fight. Makes sense when lots of blood appears when someone dies. But when characters are just getting hit, it's like they are dropping buckets around them full of kool aid.

The good thing about all the blood is it freezes. So if you use frost rays or frost arrows all the enemies slip and fall on the frozen blood and then the clerics cantrip is a guaranteed hit. Which is fun for a cantrip that kind of sucks outside of that situation.