Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Suggestions & Feedback How to make BG3 look a bit more like : a BG game, a DnD game, a new Larian video game.

Hi guys,

Here is another (probably useless) suggestion thread for BG3.
Feel free to add your ideas. There are probably tons of things I'm not thinking about.

So... How to make this game look a bit more like a :


1) Baldur's Gate video game

- Add +1, +2, +3 arrows and bolt rather than only surfaces ammunitions (missing less often)
- Add a day/night cycle and meteo effect.
- Do something about portrait. Add custom portraits, a portrait creator or let us choose a background (and an emotion) for the 3D portrait.
- Let us fast travel through the worldmap rather than through those runes
- Improve the user interface so it looks a bit more P&P
- Improve the fonts of everything so it looks a bit more Heroic Fanstasy.
- Add quickslots items for every characters to use in combats. Other items can always be "thrown".
- Don't allow us to pick in other character's inventory during combats.
- Add a quiver with limited slots to our characters. The ammunitions in the quiver can be used in combats. Others are in the Inventory.
- Allow us to custom our weapons slots (no more "melee slot and ranged slot", just "weapons slots")
- The camp should be on the map.
- Add random encounters when fast travelling and/or resting + an options to enable, disable them.
- Add new ennemies on the map after a few days. Like 2 wolves in the wood at day 3, looter on the blighted village at day 7, a new beast at the swap after day 10... You get the idea. Make this world alive.
- Add non origin companions (with the approval/disapproval mechanic. Interresting companions doesn't always need to be playable).
- Add smaller maps on the worldmap to explore, in exemple for specific (stronghold?) quests (a castle to clean, a dungeon to explore,...)

EDIT : Add more banter and discussions between characters when travelling or fighting. Make the group feels alive.
EDIT : Allow us to remove the dice rolling in the middle of the screen. It breaks the flow of the game (eventually as an option)
EDIT : Add dreams and powers for characters that avoid using the tadpole.
EDIT : Add more lore, more text in books, more pages. No more empty library please. It would be awesome to have explanations of events that happened on Faerun between BG2 and BG3.


2) Dungeons and Dragons video game

- Rebalance the homebrew (also see point 3)
-- Disengage is an action
-- Jump only cost movement, is not couple with disengage and trigger AOO with advantage
-- Highground soes not give advantage (see point 3)
-- Backstab does not give advantage (see point 3)
-- Eating during combat is not possible. Drinking potions is.
-- Dipping is not possible if you don't have a specific component (1 component/weapon, maybe a crafted component...)
-- Changing your equipment during combat is not possible (swapping between weapons slots)
-- The distance you push creatures when you shove depends your strenght. The %to shove depends your strenght way more than now (or if it stay like now, shove become an action)
-- You have to drink potions to benefits from their effects (walking on a healing liquid should not heal a character)
-- Surfaces items that miss their target does not create surface. It should fix the concentration mechanic.
-- Rebalance the Beast Master's companions

- Keep the uniqueness of classes safe !
-- Everyone is not able to use scrolls and classes have a proper spell list
-- Rogue cunning action : disengage and dash can be use as bonus action each turns
-- Implement rogue expertise
-- Rework the resting system so classes that recover spell slots and features during short rest are interresting to choose. Resting should have consequences.

- Allow us to use a potion on a close ally (not sure if "administer a potion" mean something in EN).
- The help action allow us to feint and distract a target. Allies attacking the target have an advantage (may be renamed)
- The help action to rez allies should be an action and should require a potion/a scroll
- Implement the ready action
- Implement the shove to prone action
- Implement the dodge action
- Implement grappling
- Implement ritual spells
- Implement proper reactions
- Implement throwing weapons
- Rework the resting system so it become an interresting gameplay mechanic. Short rests and long rest allow specific actions in DnD (level up, hit dices, arcane recovery, spell preparation and so on...)
- Rework the resting system so it doesn't break the action economy. Resting should have consequences.
- Implement the optional flanking rules

EDIT : make spears versatile weapons.
EDIT : Allow us to roll at character creation
EDIT : Don't allow us to throw ennemies. It just makes no sense.
EDIT : Add medicine checks when we help our downed companions.
EDIT : Add dexterity checks when surfaces damages trigger to avoid them.
EDIT : Better implementation of armors. DnD armors are divided in Tier. We should be able to start with a low heavy armor tier.


3) New Larian IP / video game

- Give us a +2 flat bonus for highground rather than advantage.
- NOT SURE : Increase our damage and/or attack roll by +1 when we're backstabing.
- Increase our range with ranged weapons when we're higher
- Party size of 5
- No more chain. The classic system works better. It's a fact.
- Improve the character creation so it looks a bit more unique
- The detection cone is improved and sound should matter. If it's too complicadted to make sound matter, every ennemies should have a detection cone in their back (obviously way shorter than in front of its eyes). A detection area with different DC could be awesome (easier to hide in their back).
- Eventually, rebalance the encounter so missing is less a problem than it can be in DnD (AC reduction or ability score decreased).
- Implement more damage reduction for our ennemies so we have to use varied weapons and spells.
- Give us an explanation about the tadpole. It's finally not an emergency so please make it clear soon and impossible to miss (or create consequences for resting too much).
- Reduce the amount of blood that spread when someone is killed.
- Allow 1 free action / turn (environment interraction, ...)
- Add options / sliders for us to custom the experience and the difficulty

- Rework various visual effects. This new game deserve to be serious and immersive
-- Remove the "shockwave" effect when someone jump. Characters in DnD become heroes, not super-heroes.
-- Rework the animation of creatures that fall asleep. Gale fall asleep like someone would in a cartoon.
-- Remove the shockwave when using dash

EDIT : Don't make some character dissaprove conversation they can't hear with other party member
EDIT : Rework the companions interactions at camp. It's too easy to miss them and it encourage spam rest. Let them tell us when they want to talk and/or create a queue so a new discussion trigger each time we're at the camp (read the thread, the others have described it better).
EDIT : Jumping should consume the proper amount of speed
EDIT : We should be advertised when jumping will prone our characters
EDIT : We shouldn't see failed perception checks.
EDIT : Implement traps that make sense and that can be disabled. The traps in the druid grove (statue) doesn't make sense and it's hard to understand.
EDIT : Rework traps so they shouldn't OS our entire party (chest under the grove with barrels... I just got OS before they suceed their check. No fun at all)
EDIT : Aradin shouldn't shout "form a lign" when we arrive at the grove. It makes no sense. "Get into position" would suit better. Consistency.
EDIT : Make companions personnality easier to understand. Once they approve, once they dissaprove. It's very hard and not friendly user to improve our relations.
EDIT : Add timed autosaves.
EDIT : Add a proper weight to barrels (limited / unlimited weight could be an option - a slider from 0% to 200% could also be).

Well... that's it for now. I'm sure I forgot a lot of things.

1) Baldur's Gate video game
- Reduce the extent of environmental interactions player must rely onto to win a battle, or make sure AI makes its best to avoid being easily cheesed with the use of them;
- Tone down the cartoon-ish violence;
- Extend maps and areas thus eliminating the theme park feel;
- Add some down to earth companions;
- Rework the overall visual style in favor of realism;

2) Dungeons and Dragons video game
- Rework help action to avoid its spam;

3) New Larian IP / video game
- Add a possibility to fine tune game difficulty and feedback;

I like your suggestions! Some thoughts though:


Agree with pretty much everything! Just one thing, regarding "Add non origin companions rather than mercenaries (with the approval/disapproval mechanic. Interresting companions doesn't always need to be playable)." - while I vote all my yes to non-origin companions, I STRONGLY disagree on having them INSTEAD of mercenary-systems for 2 reasons:
1) It does not seem likely that Larian will introduce a companion for each class/subclass - so having the option to create our own companion through a mercenary system feels very valid.
2) The mercenary system is VERY useful for multiplayer sessions so that new players for the session do not have to pick up someone else's PC nor a origin character (there is a lot of good points regarding this HERE and on some other places here on the forums!



Agree on everything. Few things to add to the list:
+ Fix conversations only happening during long rest so that we don't miss out on dialogues for not resting every minute. Perhaps companions that have something to say could approach us during short rests?
+ Stop allowing long rest while in the very middle of enemy territory - or at least make it seem more believable than the entire party just porting in and out.
+ Please balance Beast Master companions properly. >.<''
+ Unless there is some reasoning that I've completely missed, I still do not see why Larian choose to re-vamp the monster stats (aka, enemies) instead of staying true to MM. :x If the 3 intellect devourers in the start is a problem, then just remove one of them (and perhaps roll with 3 of them on higher difficulties)? :]
+ Please, please, please, please - do not just use flat stat bloat for higher difficulties at release. q _ q



Agree on most parts - BUT!

"Rebalance the encounter so missing is less a problem than it can be in DnD" - While I very much understand how annoying the XCOM-effect can be in games, especially since failing is simply not fun when playing CRPGs imo (although Larian said they'd try to make that one of their biggest selling points). I mean, during a DnD session the dice can provide hilarious results when playing with friends and/or a imaginative DM - but in games there is hardly ever any fun coming out of failing. Yet, I am almost certain that messing with the mob stats will affect the class balance poorly so I would advocate for more options regarded loaded dice for those who want it. And *MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS SELECTED BEFORE LAUNCHING THE GAME* so that people know that the option is there! (and leave the options open to be adjusted mid-game as well)

Thanks for continuing to fight the good fight ^.^

I'd like to highlight one that doesn't get enough attention, though most of what you're saying is sound....

I want to re-iterate the weapon slots issue. I absolutely want to be able to wield a shortsword and a hand crossbow, if I so choose, or a hand crossbow and a shield. The insufficiency of the current weapon slot system needs more attention, along with everything else.

I would second the caution about messing with mechanical bonuses; rather, I'd call for proper cover rules, which cause a degree of cover to be granted in high-ground situations that warrant it - that is, when targeting up at someone who is back a bit form the ledge, and half of their model is obscured from LoS as a result... that's half cover.

Similarly, rather than giving a bonus to back stab at all, I'd want to see the option to turn on Flanking, as the mechanic written in the optional rules, or to leave it off. This is, of course, dependant upon having a functioning reaction system as well, since the ability to use your reaction to negate a flank is INTEGRAL to flanking rules working at all.... but a functioning reaction system is essential anyway.

I'd also mention that the character creator does a great job of saying much and explaining little, in its current state. You can see that you have things, sometimes, but you don't really know why, or where they come from. It doesn't explain nearly any of the actually important aspects of character generation, and the lay-out is very poor, coming off as a sloppy, indistinct string of bits and pieces that just pile up one after another without any real definition or ordering. We also shouldn't be required to pick prepared spells in character generation... that's silly.

Rather than having non-origin companions replacing the mercenaries system, I'd really much more strongly prefer that they replaced the origin system itself. Let our companions be companions, full stop.

Some random stuff & +1 to post

Medicine skill is for stabilizing a dying person, not everyone.

Have actual rolls for sneak attack instead of a basic math formula.

Replace racial features that don't work in the game instead of nothing (nimble for halflings - move through larger creature squares, this was axed and nothing added).

There was a ranger post made a while back that talked about this, basically they took away unique features of the class and replaced them with similar features of others. Favored enemy - bonuses on specific race natural explorer - double proficiency on certain land types.

Definitely +1 to everything.

That would imho be the cleanest and best solutions to height/backstab situations/problems.

In another TTRPG called "Das Schwarze Auge" ("The Dark Eye") you even need 4 characters for flanking, because of the turn based nature of how most TTRPGs handle fights.
Backstabbing - in it's current implementation - is just plain ridiculous and mechanically broken.

+1 to the OP and the whole thread.

The weapon slots and quick slots issues are new to me. Wow! That's horrible the way the OP's post makes them out to be right now. Yes, definitely, that needs to be urgently fixed.

Also, of course, I want increasing party size to be an option that goes all the way up to six.

I also strongly support lots of toggles and sliders to enable us to customize our gameplay and difficulty settings.

+1 to everything

Thanks for your ideas guys. I'll change some things to the list after reading your interresting points and add others.
Your ideas are safe in your answers but I think that some things are set in stone even if I'd like something else : theme park feeling, dialogs at camp, no more origin characters... I really think we'll have to deal with it.
Not sure about a "custom" cover mechanic.

Anyway adding this to the first post after reading you :

- The help action to rez allies should be an action and should require a potion/a scroll
- Reduce the amount of blood that spread when someone is killed.
- Difficulty options (I'll try to think about it to give detailed exemples)
- Rebalance Beast Master companions properly.
- Add the flanking rules as a variant for backstab. I never liked backstab, but I think Larian does, unfortunately...

Other things I'm thinking about :
- Keep the uniqueness of classes safe !
-- Everyone is not able to use scrolls and classes have a proper spell list
-- Rogue cunning action : disengage and dash can be use as bonus action each turns (questions about DnD : can you, in exemple dash with your action then dash with your bonus action ?)

-> Help me to improve this please. I'm sure there are lots of things to add.


Do you have exemples ? I'd like to make a list with concrete exemples (I already talked about the ridiculous blood quantity and the shockwave when characters jump).

Just a note about the creatures stats... They HAVE to change them. Encounters in BG3 are often too powerfull for a party of 4 at level 4 or 5 according to any DnD encounter builder.
They often choose too powerfull monsters... bulette, 4 redcap, spectator, (+ drows)... Even with 4 level 5 characters those encounters are deadly. So is 3 ogre at level 3-4, phase spiders.......

(they also choose too weak creatures like gnolls, so they add them stupid features to make combats harder...)

Anyway the creatures choices is so bad that DnD's balance cannot stay safe here...

I can't say for sure that's what he was referring to (unless he confirms) but i would mention three examples on the game being gratuitously cartoony:

- the shove projecting people meters away in a ridiculously large arc (I already dedicated a thread to this specific point: https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=97875&Number=776154#Post776154 )
- bows and crossbows shooting these hilariously weak projectiles, once again in exceedingly pronounced arcs. Being an archer/sniper in this game in terms of visual feedback feels like being a comedic relief with a toy weapon shooting the rubber darts that make up the Larian logo.
- The shockwave when activating dash may not be the worst offender on this short list, but it's overkill for sure.

Hmm, I'll rephrase as my intention was not to get rid of it but that I want it fixed:

Because I can absolutely deal with it - but I want it to be ACTUALLY working. Refering mostly to Gale and his almost impossible weave-scene. Encouraging people to spam long rest in order to not miss out on companion dialogues has to go - there must be some way to make it work like in other games using similar mechanics (such as DA:O) where you can simply click on a character over and over until they are "done" and everything just goes in the order it "arrived" in.

It might not be ideal, and just like in DA:O I am expecting a whole bunch of awkward problems along the road with odd conversation-overlaps (like SH screaming at you, only to praise you 2 seconds later) - but it is much better than missing out on the entire conversation.

Other than just "please fix", I have a few other suggestions on the subject:
1) Let our companions TELL us when they want to say something. "Hey, I need to talk to you when we get to camp later" or a tiny chat bubble icon on their portraits. Or both - just let the player know WHEN companions want a word so we don't have to spam rest "just in case".
2) Somehow manage the overlap system so that we can have more than one conversation during camp. I get that some dialogues are conflicting (intentionally from a RP perspective, like who you go to with certain problems first etc)

The easiest solution to the missed companion scenes would simply be to have them queue up; only one character sequence can play per long rest, but they queue and wait, and one will play each long rest until they've all played out or caught up, and you never miss one... So supposing you've done enough things to unlock three of Gale's scenes and two of Shadowheart's, and three of Astarion's, but you haven't long rested at all yet this game... over the next eight long rests, even if you spam them one after another, these scenes will play, one per rest, in order, with some way to determine character priority, and after that no more will play until you've unlocked more.

As far as I'm aware, that's how a LOT of games handle progressive character interactions, and it's perfectly functional...

They could also make it so that more than one scene plays during the same rest (especially from different companions) UNLESS it’s a specific requirement of a given scene that the night passes.

I add a note about the companions interractions at camp. That's right, I also miss way too may things and/or rest just because they may have something to say but...no...
I'll also check about some visual effects in the game to be sure what to write.

I also add another few things I had in mind...

- Don't make some character dissaprove conversation they can't hear with other party member.
It just happened when I was talking with shadowheart at camp. Lae'zel dissapove my answer but it was supposed to be a conversation with a single companion...
- make spears versatile weapons.
- Allow us to roll at character creation
- Don't allow us to throw ennemies. It just makes no sense. Not sure about this one because I GUESS Larian find it so fun. They're laughing so much when they're playing BG3 and throw them... I guess new mechanical solutions/rules would fit their vision more... But who knows.
- Add more banter and discussions between characters when travelling or fighting. Make the group feels alive.
- Allow us to remove the dice rolling in the middle of the screen. It breaks the flow of the game (eventually as an option)
I know a lot of you like this but I litteraly hate it. I don't enjoy this TT simulator gimmick.
- Jumping should consume the proper amount of speed
- We should be advertised when jumping will lead our characters prone
- We shouldn't see failed perception checks
- Add medicine checks when we help our downed companions.
- Add dexterity checks when surfaces damages trigger to avoid them.

More than half of the points in this thread sound easily fixed by mods when the game comes out, to be honest.

When you're all standing in camp and nearby companions disapprove, at least it makes sense since they can overhear your conversation. But it's hilarious when you go to meet Astarion in the woods, and Shadowheart disapproves of you sleeping with him. What, is she watching from the bushes nearby?!

She certainly seems to want to snoop on everyone else's business but hates when you pry into her own...

When this happened during my second play-through (alternative route with romance) I almost spat out my coke across the entire screen because SH lurking in the bushes is EXACTLY what popped up in my head.

Mods are not in ANY way an excuse for problems with a game. A game should be judged on its own merits/how it is out-of-the-box, mods have nothing to do with it.

People talks ... noting stays private for long in such small group.

But it would be hillarious, if you get all your conversations ... with no reaction from anyone.
And the next morning you would get 5 disaprovement from Shadowheart, 2 from Lae'zel, and 3 aprovements from Astarion ... with no clue what they did, or didnt like.

Honestly, that'd be even more frustrating. I am fine with them "knowing" but they can be very judgy for unclear reasons.