Larian Banner: Baldur's Gate Patch 9
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Joined: May 2020
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2020
Hello! Let me preface by saying I really loved this game in the beginning, still do, but I'm starting to feel overwhelmed and like it may be too advanced for someone like me who has never played a RPG like this before. I wan't to learn, really I do, but I'm getting frustrated (mainly at myself) for not understanding what so many others seemingly do.

At first I was like "hey this is great, a game I can really sink my teeth into and learn the deep mechanics of RPG's". Now, I'm stuck at the battle with Dallis on the Lady Vengeance and can't progress without everyone dying. Honestly, I'm surprised I even made it this far. I'm starting to think I may have screwed myself for not getting any spellbooks, weapons, or armor other than what I found via normal encounters in Fort Joy.

Here's what I'm running:
Console (Switch)
Explorer (easy? hah) mode - level 8
Ifan - Main character- Ranger (xbow)
Sebille - Rogue (2 daggers)
Red Prince - Fighter (sword and shield)
Fane - Wizard (2 wands)

Really, my problem is that I don't know what everything means so I just go into battles and hit attack and hope for the best. Also, why cant anyone heal? The only real damage dealer (approx 50 dmg) in my party is Ifan, my ranger, and everyone else gets like one, maybe two, regular attack off that pales in comparison to Ifans damage...or they get killed. Why do some characters get multiple attacks and others are allowed only one? I'm out of resurrection scrolls. I tried (but failed b/c of lack of understanding) to change Fane to something physical at the mirror on Lady Vengeance because having one magic user in my comp doesn't seem to make sense because of his being the only measly magic damage, not even breaking low level magic armor. If I re-class Fane according to any number of the videos I've watched, he has none of the spellbooks needed to make that class work. All the youtube videos I've watched seem to be geared towards people who know the lingo and/or are experienced RPG players. They're like "max out hydrothurge because everyone knows you need that healing spell" and I'm all "wtf is happening".

Also, I just hoarded everything I picked up along the way and my inventory is full (or nearly full) on all my characters. Full of what? I don't really know, eyeballs? So, I end up just dropping random things in order to make room, or I'll just leave it.

I've spent more time trying to research what stuff means and/or what to do than I have playing the game and feel like all that time was wasted because it clearly didn't help me.

I don't know. sorry for venting. I'm just frustrated at myself for not understanding this game.

Thanks for your time


Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada
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Location: Canada

Do you have a save at the end of Fort Joy, that you can reload and check merchants for skill books, equipment upgrades and resurrection scrolls, etc?

If you lower the difficulty to Story, it will give you a resurrection spell that can be used outside of combat.

A bedroll is the easiest way to heal outside of combat (or before, for the rested status, if you are not too close to hostile characters). Otherwise there are potions (healing potions can be created with an empty potion bottle and a penny bun mushroom), healing spells (a bonus on Migo's ring, if you have that), talents like Leech or the Necromancer skill school.

Joined: May 2020
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2020
I have a save file back on Fort Joy. I'll backtrack and see if I can find some useful skill books.

Is the restoration skill book only available in Fort Joy through story mode? I'd rather not have to change modes but it might be what is best. Ha.

Good to know about the healing potions recipe. I have bedrolls and Migo's ring. I'll look into those leech and necromancy options.

Admittedly, I haven't really used my hotbar in battle. I guess that's my problem. I just use the attack option. I don't know what spells to use or what to look out for. For example, my wizard Fane, why can't he do much damage? Is it bad that I have only one magic user in my comp? Should I change his combat abilities to the respective two wands he wields? Should I respec him to physical or should I respec another of my party to magic to split the damage type? Maybe drop red prince or sebille and recruit lohse and make her a necromancer? Should I start a fresh game and do it better?

Thanks for your reply, though.

Last edited by Jovi Bon Kenobi; 18/05/20 03:11 PM.
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada
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Location: Canada

The restoration skill is automatically added when the difficulty level is set to Story, regardless of location. Reverting to the Fort Joy save would allow you to get additional skill books, and either make your current builds more effective, or give you the option to respec and have appropriate skills and equipment available.

If the lower difficulty level lets you get through the Lady Vengeance fight, you could check out the start of the next act and see if you can get new skillbooks there. When you start getting the hang of the skill system, etc, you can increase the difficulty back to Explorer.

It isn't bad having only one magic user, though at least on higher difficulties a lot of people prefer going all physical damage, all magical or two characters focusing on each. One magic user is ok on lower difficulties (even if focusing on healing, teleportation, crowd control, etc, more than damage), and a ranger can help with magic damage using elemental arrows, etc.
There should be some skill guides online, along with character guides (with contradictory opinions on what works best, but you just need a general idea of what skills you would like to get and how to use them).

If you want to change companion characters, as opposed to respecing, you must do so before continuing on the Lady Vengeance; after the fight there they will no longer be available, and the companions in the party in the next act will be permanently linked to the avatar that (re)recruited them on the Lady Vengeance (only relevant in multiplayer).

Personally, I'd only suggest starting over if you have an idea of what you would do differently with building the party, and preferably some quests, etc, you'd like to do differently.
I'm not sure if there is as much of a multiplayer component for the Switch version as on PC (especially with it requiring Nintendo's extra Online service), but if possible, it might help if you can arrange a multiplayer game with someone willing to give some advice as you play. Playing the game from a different account would give a separate drive space for saves (though only the host can save).

Joined: Nov 2016
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Joined: Nov 2016
I started over twice. smile It was very tough for me and I didn't even get as far as you did the first time and I've played several similar games so, don't be so hard on yourself. There's a lot of tricks to learn and tactics is often something lost on the first playthrough because the enemy often just pops up and you are in a tight formation. In the Dalis fight you speak of, you win by surviving long enough for Malady to cast a spell (maybe 5-6 turns?). Teleportation spells to get enemies away from her, trying to heal her and give her armor protection, whittling down opponent's (close to her) physical armor to zero so your fighters can knockdown enemies with the ramshead and hammer icons (on the fast action bar), knockdown arrows, etc. Spells are weak for the most part except a few and enemies scale so not much more relative damage is done so I have found it best to concentrate on one or the other. Three mages can break armor then do well. Three physicals (fighters, knights, etc) and one mage with physical breaking spells worked well for me. Also, summons are definitely a good thing to occupy enemy characters (if you get to summons 10, you get a really cool helper). I like to have at least one mage or one fighter type because some enemies have no magical armor and some no physical armor. Do use military intelligence (you can examine enemies to see what their strengths/weaknesses are by right-clicking on them then left clicking on examine). I think I'm on my eighth playthrough and still enjoying the game - and still learning new things each time.

Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Canada
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Malady should finish at the beginning of round 5; if you kill enough opponents, that can be sped up (not sure if it would be delayed if malady is attacked too much).

If you are not opposed to restarting, that would also let you begin with easier fights, that you have a better idea of how to prepare for, rather than trying to catch up with the game mechanics while starting the next act.


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