Baldur's Gate 3

[AquilaTempestas]

I've been playing Divinity 2 Original Sin again getting accustomed to Larian games.

Though I gotta say.... Astarion so reminds me of Fenris from BioWare's Dragon Age 2 and a bit of Valen Shadowbreath from BioWare's Neverwinter Nights. Both characters have that 'I was a slave to a cruel slavemaster' thing going on. Gonna be interesting to see how BG3 compares to BioWare's BG1 and 2 writing wise. 

I'm so ready for full blown insanity and spending several hours making a pretty character. I think I'm gonna go with a Wood Elf Ranger and maybe some multclassing though haven't decided yet. I never really liked multi classing rangers unless it was with some fighter levels. I am tempted to do a sorcerer run though so I can boast about my sorcery to Gale. Ahhh so many choices!

I still can't decide between Gale and Astarion. Astarion is hilarious but Gale is just so... fine. 

[AquilaTempestas]

Well, took me awhile to finally settle on a character. I decided to go Paladin (Oathbreaker) Wood Elf.

 

How are our games going? What characters did you go with?

@Lady Mechanika @Wizarmonfan @Stubborn Saber

[Wizarmonfan]

I'm gonna buy it when I go away on holidays to Pax in October.

[Dementor]

22 hours ago, AquilaTempestas said:

Well, took me awhile to finally settle on a character. I decided to go Paladin (Oathbreaker) Wood Elf.

 

How are our games going? What characters did you go with?

@Lady Mechanika @Wizarmonfan @Stubborn Saber

Lovely look  

I've finished Act 2 yesterday. Who said Ketheric Thorm is a "very tough" boss? I killed him almost without preparations from the first attempt.

Now let's see Act 3, the Baldur's Gate itself. I've heard many people say it's "raw" and buggy and worse than 1 and 2 in general... let's see.

And "just to be" - some screenshots.

Spoiler

Another shot of my character, as he's looking now. (Only I've dyed his armor/costume black just before stopping playing yesterday.)

Whispering with Karlach... She's a cutie 

Happy Relontar in camp  

 

[AquilaTempestas]

10 hours ago, Dementor said:

Lovely look  

I've finished Act 2 yesterday. Who said Ketheric Thorm is a "very tough" boss? I killed him almost without preparations from the first attempt.

Now let's see Act 3, the Baldur's Gate itself. I've heard many people say it's "raw" and buggy and worse than 1 and 2 in general... let's see.

And "just to be" - some screenshots.

  Hide contents

Another shot of my character, as he's looking now. (Only I've dyed his armor/costume black just before stopping playing yesterday.)

Whispering with Karlach... She's a cutie 

Happy Relontar in camp  

 

Just make sure you’re not uploading images directly to the forum. You can just copy image address and paste in. Forget to mention that before. 

I’m level 4 at the moment and trying to find XP so I can enter the Underdark. My gear sucks though so need to find a good merchant.
 

Romance wise, my MC just boned Astarion haha. I’ll get Gale in another playthrough. Twas hard to choose between them both. They’re both so sassy. 

[Dementor]

31 minutes ago, AquilaTempestas said:

Just make sure you’re not uploading images directly to the forum. You can just copy image address and paste in. Forget to mention that before. 

The forum's limit is 40 kB, it's impossible to upload anything besides maybe a sticker with this size anyway  All of my pics are imgur links.

32 minutes ago, AquilaTempestas said:

I’m level 4 at the moment and trying to find XP so I can enter the Underdark. My gear sucks though so need to find a good merchant.
 

Romance wise, my MC just boned Astarion haha. I’ll get Gale in another playthrough. Twas hard to choose between them both. They’re both so sassy. 

Ohh. I've been waiting for a while before venturing into the Underdark, when I was around level 6 and with good stuff. However you can find some good items in the Emerald Grove or even Goblin Camp.

Hehe, congrats with getting Astarion  

[AquilaTempestas]

1 minute ago, Dementor said:

The forum's limit is 40 kB, it's impossible to upload anything besides maybe a sticker with this size anyway  All of my pics are imgur links.

Ohh. I've been waiting for a while before venturing into the Underdark, when I was around level 6 and with good stuff. However you can find some good items in the Emerald Grove or even Goblin Camp.

Hehe, congrats with getting Astarion  

Oh lol right. Image sizes are smaller for non-staff members.

Damn, you got to level 6 in Act 1? I might try some other merchants coz Emerald Grove ones are failing me.

He was eager to bone hahahahhaha and Gale was too slow to get the hint, so she opted for the vampire. Though Lae'zel tried to hit on MC too - she's disappointed I'd chosen a vampire over her, but she's now trying to hit on Wyll. 

[Stubborn Saber]

Haven't got too far on my end, still in the middle of the druidic quest line, about to set off to look for head honcho druid Halsen at the goblin camp and are at Lvl 3 currently. Character wise we haven't been too creative here during our first play through, instead we embraced our inner weeb and are roleplaying as a D&D version of Megumin from Konosuba, though the voice we selected was completely off the mark XD. A human sorcerer with wild magic, another reason for playing this character is because I wanted to have a laugh with the randomness of wild magic and to see how many affects have been added to the game out of the 100 it has in the TTRPG.

We are considering running a second playthrough alongside it though, going with a character that looks like my Vtuber avatar, but using the Dark Urge origin and using a online picker wheel to determine race, base class and classes on level up. If it lands on dragon born then we'll just go with what looks cool I guess XD.

[Dementor]

11 hours ago, AquilaTempestas said:

Oh lol right. Image sizes are smaller for non-staff members.

Damn, you got to level 6 in Act 1? I might try some other merchants coz Emerald Grove ones are failing me.

He was eager to bone hahahahhaha and Gale was too slow to get the hint, so she opted for the vampire. Though Lae'zel tried to hit on MC too - she's disappointed I'd chosen a vampire over her, but she's now trying to hit on Wyll. 

With Lae'zel things went weird for me, I suppose there was a script glitch: she commented several times on how much she likes my character, and I responded accordingly, but... nothing else happened, besides that one night when she wanted to kill me (like, to prevent the tadpole from hatching).  And even at the party after saving the tieflings nothing happened, either with Lae'zel or Shadowheart (well I tried to approach the latter but she sent me to Gale like c'mon girl, Relontar is straight! ). However at some point a line about relationship appeared in dialogues with her (Lae'zel), with the only option to break up, though. One day I got tired and used this line, and apparently broke up with her (because I was interested in Shadowheart more, but she's keeping her distance still). Then Karlach made her approach and I didn't reject her. So now my MC is with her, and it's cool to share a kiss before important battles or something  

[AquilaTempestas]

Started a new save as I had gone into Act 2 missing a huge chunk of Act 1 according to online sources. Oops.

I am now a drow paladin and it’s cool how many characters react to my race. Halfway through level 3 right now. I think if I do everything, I should hit level 6 for Act 2. 

[Dementor]

12 hours ago, AquilaTempestas said:

Started a new save as I had gone into Act 2 missing a huge chunk of Act 1 according to online sources. Oops.

I am now a drow paladin and it’s cool how many characters react to my race. Halfway through level 3 right now. I think if I do everything, I should hit level 6 for Act 2. 

Oh yeah, it's cool to be a drow. I want to try being a Dragonborn, though. Or tiefling.

[Lady Mechanika]

On 9/3/2023 at 11:32 AM, AquilaTempestas said:

Well, took me awhile to finally settle on a character. I decided to go Paladin (Oathbreaker) Wood Elf.

 

How are our games going? What characters did you go with?

@Lady Mechanika @Wizarmonfan @Stubborn Saber

I started it last Sunday and went for a tiefling warlock cos eldritch blast.

I have to redo though. Lae'zel accidentally looted my clothes aboard the mindflayer ship and my poor Tav is currently wandering about in her underwear.

Also I have no idea what genitals my Tav has. My kids were watching and I panicked and picked something at random.

[AquilaTempestas]

I could never make my character or guardian ugly.

But this Australian guy can! I can't stop laughing. Goodness. Reminds me of The Thing I made in Bloodborne once.

@Lady Mechanika @Stubborn Saber @Wizarmonfan @Dementor

 

My guardian is a tiefling dude. 

 

[Dementor]

14 hours ago, Lady Mechanika said:

I have to redo though. Lae'zel accidentally looted my clothes aboard the mindflayer ship and my poor Tav is currently wandering about in her underwear.

Also I have no idea what genitals my Tav has. My kids were watching and I panicked and picked something at random.

What do you mean looted your clothes? How??

[AquilaTempestas]

I’m on Act 2 now and level 6. I’m trying to do the Shar trials. 

My character was intending to romance Astarion but then Gale came on quite strongly and my drow decided to go with Gale instead. She could not resist the magic touch. 

Astarion was a bit jealous and I’m a bit sad I had to choose Gale but I prefer Gale’s romance ending over Astarion’s. In another run I’ll do Astarion when I’m playing Dark Urge. But romancing Astarion didn’t feel right for my righteous goody two shoes Paladin. 

Gale is such a dork. A lovable dork.

[Lady Mechanika]

On 9/8/2023 at 7:48 AM, Dementor said:

What do you mean looted your clothes? How??

My character died and Lae'zel was the only one left standing. She walked up to my Tavs body and it said loot.

And me being an idiot just pressed all the buttons that loot. So Lae'zel got all my stuff. Then she goes off on her own post mindflayer ship bit.

And I have no idea how to get my clothes back.  I will figure it out eventually.

[Lady Mechanika]

I would like to emphasise I am very easily distracted and it takes me a while to get used to new game mechanics.  

[AquilaTempestas]

I'm in Act 2 now and these Shar trials are really sucking the enjoyment out. This is awful. But I will persist!

@Lady Mechanika You'll see her again pretty early on. 

My game has bugged out. Karlach has randomly disappeared and now I can't find her - last I saw her she randomly showed up in some red area and I don't know how to get back. Now she's permanently gone?

 

Here's my drow and what a screen capture haha.

[Dementor]

On 9/13/2023 at 10:56 PM, AquilaTempestas said:

I'm in Act 2 now and these Shar trials are really sucking the enjoyment out. This is awful. But I will persist!

@Lady Mechanika You'll see her again pretty early on. 

My game has bugged out. Karlach has randomly disappeared and now I can't find her - last I saw her she randomly showed up in some red area and I don't know how to get back. Now she's permanently gone?

 

Here's my drow and what a screen capture haha.

Karlach disappeared?? weird!!

I'm taking a break from this game now due to my vacation and travel to Kazan.

[AquilaTempestas]

On 9/16/2023 at 6:37 AM, Dementor said:

Karlach disappeared?? weird!!

I'm taking a break from this game now due to my vacation and travel to Kazan.

It was weird! I did end up finding her again though and she's level 8... the rest of my party were still at level 6. Can't complain though.

I'm about halfway through Act 2 and I'm trying to get levels. Currently at gith place after a failed showdown with the Nightsong which saw me reload an earlier save. 

Here's my drow when she was flirting with Astarion.

[Dementor]

I see, hopefully I'll try to play again this evening.

[AquilaTempestas]

I;m in Act 3 now and level 10. I'm getting my ass kicked. Some of the fights are really tough and I can't help but think I'm running poor builds and lack the appropriate gear.

My current composition which I think fits my player character best:

• Melisandre - Drow Paladin
• Karlach - My secondary tank
• Gale - My DPS wizard
• Shadowheart - Healer and buff support. Sometimes I switch her out for Astarion if there's lots of traps and such about

Paladin is such a broken class and it's always been my go to. Heals. Buffs. Tank. Damage.

On my next run, I'd like to try something different - maybe a bard or warlock.

[AquilaTempestas]

Okay. I finished the game with 40 hours as a drow paladin.

• I didn't finish a lot of side quests (Wyll, Gael, Raphael etc) but still hit level 12 (that's max level). You get heaps of XP in Act 3.
• Quite a few bugs in the game - I've had a few issues where I've had to go back a few saves because of camera getting stuck and not moving, characters being unable to cast/attack etc. Save often folks.
• It's a great game with some companions with actual personality. I enjoyed the story, the moral decisions I had to make and the variety of challenging fights that really made me rethink my usual strategy. 
• The inventory management system remains terrible. It wasn't great in Divinity 2, but it's worse here
• I used weapons from end of Act 1 and never got something better. It certainly made fights a bit harder! My gear wasn't great

As with Divinity 2's final act, BG3's ending feels a bit rushed too. I'm hoping Act 3 gets some patches to fix up inconsistencies, bugs and shite because otherwise it would've been Game of the Year for 2023.

Spoilers below.

 

Spoiler

I finished a 'good' run (was trying to be an upstanding good paladin) without turning into a mind flayer but my journey was very up and down!

• I saved the Nightsong, saved the tieflings, sided with Gortash and betrayed him, became a servant of Bhaal, accepted Raphael's deal, 
• La'zael left me because I allowed the Emperor/Guardian to eat the Orpheus's brain to gain powe
• I allowed Astarion to ascend to vampire lord. He remained my good friend
• Shadowheart became a cleric of Selune instead of Shar 
• I didn't finish Gale's quest and missed a critical choice scene and he ended up ditching me : ( He takes the crown and ends up getting killed by Mystra
• Karlach was going to die and she made this sad speech about how her life is over and how she wanted to live and all - I said she couldn't die so my character decided to return to hell with her. My character has therefore decided to become lesbian instead after getting ditched by Gale : (
• Haslin was just there
• I didn't complete Wyll's quest line either so don't know what happened to him. All I know is that he remains forever binded to Mizora

 

I did briefly attempt a mind flayer end but didn't like it.

 

I think Withers is supposed to be Jergal too. I had kinda hoped Cyric would be mentioned but oh well. I guess he is still imprisoned. 

 

[Dementor]

38 minutes ago, AquilaTempestas said:

Okay. I finished the game with 40 hours as a drow paladin.

• I didn't finish a lot of side quests (Wyll, Gael, Raphael etc) but still hit level 12 (that's max level). You get heaps of XP in Act 3.

 

Congrats with finishing it! Interesting, I'm trying to finish as many quests as I can so I'm Lv 11 now, and in the middle of Act 3.

As for bugs, there are some, yeah. I often had interface disappear during Lae'zel's turn in combat, but quick save/load fixed it. As she's not in my party now I haven't seen this bug for a while.

Another bug was when the game would keep crashing at some point during some action and nothing seemed to fix that — restarting, loading and doing the same thing led to crash again. Was resolved by starting the game with different API (DX11 vs Vulkan that I was playing it on initially), on DX11 it didn't crash there so I was able to continue.

[Dementor]

At last finished! Whew... I know, it took me very long, but such is life.

I loved every moment of it. Indeed this is the Game of the Year for me. I'll surely play it again, as a female Drow Cleric, and gather a party of men around her this time (in this playthrough my party consisted of girls — Shadowheart, Karlach, and Lae'zel, with Jaheira replacing the latter when Orin the Red kidnapped her). Curious to see where different choices will lead me!