Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Sweet mother of Volo, Fix Reactions!!

Unless they fix reactions, Paladin’s smite and any caster’s counterspell is going to suck as much as the riposte maneuver does now. You’d have to toggle them on prior to the end of your turn (for counterspell) to use them on enemy turns or before your attacks (for Paladin). Did you hit something resistant to radiant damage for 4 damage with your longsword? Well you just lost a spell slot to deal 1 point of radiant damage. Did that enemy caster just cast fire bolt? Well you just lost a 3rd level spell to counter that.

I’ve experienced this kind of thing with the Battle Master. I want riposte on in case that bugbear misses. Then up comes a 4 hp goblin to miss my fighter causing her to waste the reaction on something insignificant.

I wholeheartedly agree!

The riposte maneuver is made all the worst by the fact that it’s the only maneuver that expends a superiority die before rolling attacks. That means the die can be spent for no value and with no input from the player.

So let this be the millionth thread to proclaim : please! For the love of Selune! Let there be reactive reactions!

A little over the top, but I do agree. And since smite is added after a successful roll, should be interesting to see if they stop the attack sequence with a pop up that allows you to choose it and at what level when paladin goes live. The homebrew doesn't quite cut the mustard.

Solasta uses pop ups for all reactions. It doesn’t slow things down IMHO, and it gives far more freedom to the player.

+1

-1

So what that it expends superiority die? You have so much. Come on people, what do you want - to make the game ridiculously easy?
There's like a ton of consumables, utilities, spells, abilities, etc. already. Use them maybe and then single superiority die won't matter at all.

Yesterday someone was complaining about the gold how there is not enough. Can you imagine? I finished EA with 25 000 gold... did not even loot Grymforge.

Fixing Reaction is about making the game more authentic, balanced, and finally more FUN.

Nothing to do really with game's difficulties, it has to do more with things that are annoying and/or frustrating during gameplay.

While I think that this thread is more dramatic than necessary, I do have to agree that reactions would be more fun, if they were implemented more closely to the rule books. I'd like to add that, while much of it doesn't seem to be a problem now, the game will not stay low level at full release. We will be able to level up beyond level 4 and we will fight enemies to match, at which point reactions will be more important and meaningful.

To take the Counter Spell example: It wouldn't matter too much if your opponent is a level 2 mage and you countered a Firebolt cantrip instead of a 1st level Magic Missile. At higher levels, when facing higher level enemies though, there might be a certain spell, that you absolutely want to counter. If you already wasted your reaction for something else, because the game didn't let you decide for yourself what to use it for, it might get frustrating quickly.

I'd also like to note, that there are other classes with interesting reactions, that might face the same problems. Take Monk for example: If an enemy archer shoots a regular arrow (for once) and grazes my character for 1 point of damage, I might actually not want to use the Deflect Missiles reaction on that. If the next one uses one of the special arrows though, say a fire arrow, then I will absolutely want to toss it back at them, but wouldn't be able to if I used my reaction on the 1 damage arrow before.

So yeah, I too would like to see an overhaul to the reaction system, so that we can take more control over when and how to use them. For people who aren't interested in that kind of micro management the toggle on/off-style reactions can stay in the game as an option, no problem. But for people who want the same choice that D&D 5e offers in the PNP variant, being able to choose in every valid situation whether or not to react should become an option too.

Also: Difficulty levels. When higher difficulty levels become available, taking the right reaction at the right time might become even more important.

I don't want pop-ups in combat. It was annoying in Solasta, and I certainly don't want it in BG3.
It will be even more annoying in multi.
So a big NO for popups.

So how would you fix reactions without popups? The current system is stupid and makes it pointless to play certain classes/builds, popups are the easiest way to fix this but there should be a menu toggle to turn it off for those who don't want it.

Quick Time Events?

Like a timed action to click on? Wouldn't that also annoy people who don't want the (already slow) combat slowed down? Personally I don't care too much how they fix it, as long as we can pick when to use reactions.

Why do I want a 5E game to be consistent with 5E rules while letting me choose when to use my abilities like I should be able to do?

Because that’s how it should work.

While I appreciate tactical depth, I don't want reaction prompts popping up constantly.

The concept works in tabletop where you can just interrupt the flow when you want to react, but it doesn't work in a CRPG where the computer has to ask you separately for everything. Everything.

I can accept AoO's being automated. Combat is chaotic and you take the opportunity when you see it. You can't calculate your reactions like chess in real combat. It makes sense.

I can accept reactions being changed mechanically into Bonus Actions or Free Actions if the spirit of the ability can be preserved. Like Divine Smite. I know it's not a reaction but it works exactly like one and requires a pause and prompt. It should be a Free Action instead to charge your weapon for a duration. Similar enough, no interruptions.

I have no idea what to do with stuff like Riposte which is really great in tabletop but uncontrollably bad in BG3. Nothing beats a good revenge smack in the head when someone tries to attack you, but prompting for every damn minion that attacks you, every time? Ugh.

And finally, I can deal with some reaction prompts for stuff that absolutely only works that way and is too good to be missed out on completely. Counterspelling, perhaps. Although it is the most boring way to spend spell slots from two casters. Nothing happens. Yey. It should have some seriously good animations to be fun to use in a video game. Maybe all classes should have only one or two reactions with prompts so it doesn't get too confusing and annoying. E.g. Counterspell for Mages and Riposte for Battlemasters.

+1 to OP.

+1 once again.
Everything would be better than toggles.

Is there any real suggestion, or is this just another "make something somehow" topic? :-/

If this is option B ...
I shall use it for repeating my suggestion.

Simply implement "Ask" option ...
That way we would have all 3 option:
Dissabled > never used.
Auto > used automaticly whenever they can.
Ask > popup window asking us.

That way if someone will feel that they dont wish to spend spellslots for each hit as Paladin ... they simply set Smite to "Ask" ...
Also if they dont wish to confrim every single Attack of Opourtunity they can make ... they simply set AoO to "Auto" ... (just as we have that now)
Also if they know they are fighting against Radiant resistant enemies and they dont wish to Smite at all in this combat ... they disable it (and should remember that after combat ends).

Everyone should be perfectly happy ... curent system can stay exactly as it is, with single easy adjustment ... no need to adjust any "order" in wich reactions will be used.
When there will be chance to use reaction all your option will show in popup window and you decide the one you wish to use ... or you simply click to continue without it and your reaction will stay unused (read as: Prepared to use Automatic reaction)

BG3 should use a combination toggle & pop-up system.Everyone is happy.

Actually only the players who want an exact conversion from tabletop would be happy. The rest would still be stuck with a bad system with uncontrollable reactions unless they want to deal with a million prompts.

That's why bigger changes are needed.

What would you suggest then? In your previous post you argue for a mix of automated and pop-up reactions, right? With the addition of some reactions turned into bonus actions or free actions (which are essentially toggles except some cost your bonus action, and possibly they only last for one use).

I'm a bit confused, as our suggestions seem pretty similar... Is the difference between your and my suggestion: you think certain reactions should always be automated, others should always be free/bonus actions (~toggles), and some select others are always pop-ups? Whereas I think all reactions should be able to be switched between a pop-up and a toggle?

Or do you have another suggestion on how to better implement reactions? Honest question; I'm always happy to hear and consider proposed suggestions.