Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback Why do we start out at level 1? [SPOILERS]

Not counting Wyll and Gale (at least the Gale is explained) no other character is overly exaggerated.
-> We know practically nothing about Shadowheart. Before kidnapping, she might as well have been a peasant or an avatar of god (in terms of power)
-> Lae'zel looks like a standard young fighter trying to prove his skills. She even mentions that she was never on the astral plane and hopes to become her home soon.
-> Before the kidnapping, Astarion probably never fought (or at least didn't have much of a chance). He may have been a slave, but his master was mighty.

God thank you, why was that so hard.

Still his head cannon FYI as it's all his word/delusion. I'd say I really hope they don't make that cannon for the several degrees where it breaks the source but I wouldn't be surprised if it is.

Laezel and Shadowheart definitely seem more like rookies. Laezel was raised in a creche but has not been to the Astral Plane (she will tell this to Gale as you explore the world). The Githyanki have to take part in a successful illithid hunt before they can venture to Tunarath. I think she is also terribly unreliable, not because she is a liar, but because the Githyanki are all indoctrinated in the Cult of Personality that is Vlaakith. Shadowheart is mysterious, but strikes me as someone that is not terribly experienced in the world.

Gale has had his power stripped from him (maybe from the tadpole, maybe because of losing the favor of the goddess of magic or absorbing the pocket of the astral into himself).

Wyll may or may not be lying - I can't tell, he will talk about what he was capable of before the mind flayers took him. But he could be lying/exaggerating. I tend to think that it's a combination of both.

Astarion is a vampire spawn. Spawn are slaves to true vampires and have little free will - they are also depicted as fairly uniform in ability. A farmer or a child turned into a vampire spawn is just as dangerous as a wizard or an experienced knight or something. They lose their identity and become vampiric slaves. Astarion is free for the first time in two centuries - I think him being a rogue is a representation of his talents derived from being a spawn. If he was a typical vampire spawn he would be; 1) destroyed immediately by all the sunlight; 2) capable of regeneration; and 3) much, much more powerful than he is. I single Vampire Spawn would tear through a level 1 adventuring party, so it is again clear that the tadpole has changed him substantially.

Because im not going to do work for you. If you care, YOU go look it up. Entitled little bastard aren't you.

@Orbax
Because you made a claim that wasn't supported by fact. Burden of evidence is on you. Someone did your job for you FYI and it's still just his word / delusion.

Bullshit. If you would like some elaboration just say so

Level 1 adventurers in 5e are not common farmers or common soldiers. There is an assumption that PCs, or individual with fully fleshed out design, are exceptional individuals through talent, experience, or both. If you look at the NPC stat blocks available, most of the closest equivalents to a PC class aren't as effective. A knight is sort of a lesser paladin and a berserker is sort of a lesser barbarian.

That said, notice that some of the people stuck on that nautaloid were, indeed, farmers, bakers, students, and the like. So even if level 1 in 5e wasn't beyond the average person, there are several commoners there that are on the ship, so it makes sense someone lower level would be there.

Also, it seems Gale's story is he used to be much stronger and was smashed down to lower level. Karlach seems to have a similar situation. As much as I don't miss Level Drain as a mechanic....at all....the backstory of "I once was stronger than I am now" works perfectly well as an intro to a new campaign and character.

Having a video game start from higher level is tempting but I don't think it would be the best option in the long run. Among other things, some people don't like to just jump to high level and design the higher level character. They like to tweak the build here and there as they level to make sure there are no holes.

I would say that this "drop them in the deep end" wouldn't be a great tabletop design but Out of the Abyss exists...so there's that.

Level drain can be great. I had 2 players that were young silver dragons. They polymorphed into humans to lead a raid against a cult and their humans were all wiped out while they escaped. They tried shifting back and couldn't. Bahamut trapped them in their forms until they learned what it was like for them and maybe they'd be more careful with their lives the next time they meddled in their affairs. They've gotten moments where they got to transform during intense moments and the end of their arc will be the ability to transform again (they're druids). It has been incredible and there are some really fun mechanics with it. It can just be hard to do if the mechanic you are unlocking is Power Word Kill or something because at that point all you are mechanically doing is getting high level again and feeling weak until then. I don't like that way of doing it. Gale doin something foolish in his youth to "Notice me, Senpai" Mystra even though he was wildly out of his depth, regardless of aptitude, would be a more appropriate arc to pursue. Its always just a bit off for some reason with their stories haha.

I hace a concept for a draconic sorcerer who is actually a young black dragon stuck in a form somewhat close to a drow (or wood elf fluffed as drow). Her dragon form is heavily damaged and scarred and it involves great pain for her to enter it. (as a hatchling she'd been tortured by goblins and accidentally saved by adventurers.) Some of her spells represent briefly returning to draconic form. Like polymorph to a T-Rex would be T-Rex stats but fluffed as a dragon with damaged wings and the mental stat drop due to the pain she'd be in.

She was a bit on the shy and hesitant side. Got the idea from a story a while back. I figured if she were to get to Epic Levels, some of the Epic Boons would be things like "Ageless" and her 9th spell would be Shapechange.

I gave one the ability to act is if they had the fly spell on them for 1 minutes 1/x day, could use a breath weapon 1/x a day, 15' cone 2d6 damage 1/2 on save stuff like that. You can thread in abilities without actually needing to change. Called it the blessing of Bahamut and was DM booned when they made choices in line with what Bahamut asked for them that required sacrifice on their part. I could totally take your idea and do tons with it. They are doing it with the illithid powers, there is not real reason to not unlock positive boons if they are doing the drain mechanic. Glimpses into the future keep the carrot on the stick for motivating people to behave a certain way. Want more illithid powers? Abuse the power. Want to unlock better skills for Gale? Give him more magic. Gith chick? Have options to let her battle one on one or something, who knows. But I think D&D needs to use Chechov's Gun - if its going to be mentioned or in there, it needs to be used.

To be honest, most adventurs start ouf at lvl 1 unless youve got a group of experiences players who moan about that fact. Then you generally starta few lvls higher if the DM is willing to meet them halfway.

But as others said its kinda plot related, the parasite reset everyone to a lower lvl essentially. That said compelte the tutorial and kill the 3 intellect devourers and you are lvl 2 so its not like you are lvl 1 for very long