+1
I haven't been a D&D TT-player in 20 years, while I loved DOS2 apart from the much too heavy focus on loot/gear. I still agree with most of this criticism.
Larian said they would faithfully port D&D to BG3, but it feels like the inverse has happened. I would buy DOS3, but false advertising made me expect a different game than what it currently is.
I LOVE how Larian wants to incentivize tactical combat through high mobility and positioning. I HATE how Larian homebrew beaks balance to do it.
For instance consider how giving away advantage affects class and spell balance. Barbarian Reckless Rage who gives advantage on attacks while also giving enemies advantage to attacks against you, will require another homebrew (flat attack bonus) that will be very hard to balance on top of easy advantage. Martial classes are buffed to an insane level by this while Clerics who don't even get range spell attack cantrips are relatively nerfed.
I have suggested a less radical homebrew departure from D&D regarding ADVANTAGE that should incentivize tactical combat w/o breaking balance:
FLANKING: Flank +1 attack, back +2 attack
HIGHER GROUND/RANGED: +2 AC/DEX save (half cover rule simulating defensive ground) while also not getting disadvantage on prone enemies on lower ground (makes little sense).
This is basically the argument people who want to buff spellcasters and drag down everyone else use. They conveniently forget that currently spellcasters can go nova every encounter (because in BG3 EA you can always take a long rest after any encounter), wizards have access to EVERY SPELL in the game, and the damage/utility of spells eclipses what single martial attacks can do (bugged abilities aside). These facts alone makes spellcasters much more powerful than martials. But this is exactly their point, to them "D&D feels like D&D" when casters dominate the game and can do everything other classes can, but better. That's what "being faithful to D&D" means for these people, but it's not so, it's just how they interpret things according to their convenience.
Case in point, go check youtube BG3 videos and see how many people are soloing the EA using wizards compared to other classes. Strangely enough, these "devalued spellcasters" can destroy the game without needing any help from the rest of the party.
Haha. Nice strawman attempt there buddy.
You assign ulterior motivations to a guy who on MULTIPLE occasions have criticised MULTIPLE balance issues with Larian's unfaithful D&D port. In fact, alongside easy advantage I have specifically criticised the super permissive rest mechanic and Wizards "unlimited Magical Secrets" (which is a relative nerf to Bards) as the worst offenders more times than I care to recall. Bad for immersion as well as causing an avalanche of class and subclass (and likely feat and spell) imbalances.
And I have specifically criticised in particular Wizards as the one who benefits most of all. Through buff to their attack cantrips directly and indirectly (environmental trigger, damages when misses) and through overpowered magical items as well: The Sapphire Spark (near double Magic Missile damage), Staff of Arcane Blessing (+5 average spell attack roll, +1-4 dex save), and Warped Headband of Intellect (allows metagaming using Int as a dump stat for Wizards/Arcane Tricksters/Eldritch Knights). Inversely, martial classes+Clerics have gotten their better non-magical medium and heavy armor spirited away - mysteriously more rare than ultra powerful magical items (another break in immersion). Moreover, I have ribbed many "spellcasters" who complain about Fire Bolt cantrip somehow being nerfed (which is not only wrong, but a very selective and disingenuous focus). Wizard is universally seen as the strongest class in D&D, yet Larian has seen fit to buff them in so many ways. I understand Swen Vincke, the boss and lead designer of Larian, is a fanboy of Wizards and only in this context does the buffs begin to remotely make any sense.
Case in point, think before you go off on a tangent. The way you were obviously triggered by the very hint of favoring casters makes me think you're not only misguided, but in fact a hypocritical martial class tribalist who mistakenly believed he was talking to his opposite number. Sorry to disappoint! Balance is a complex issue and if you attack anyone failing to mention all the intricacies (which you yourself failed to do) at every point, then you will be a very busy puppy indeed!
