Baldur's Gate 3 II: The Urge for a Second Playthrough

[warty goblin]

Probably, but I eventually managed to brute force my way out anyway. It turns out I was missing notifications about Command spells being in effect for some reason.

That was a fun one. First try I got completely shredded. Second try I summoned my cannibal ogre buddies from the blighted village. That worked a lot better.

[Zevox]

[...]Couple with the fact that the goblins have a tendency to land at least one crit a round[...]

Question: do you have Karmic Dice turned on? Because from what I've read elsewhere, that could explain a weird situation like that. Karmic Dice apparently don't just apply to you, but to all rolls, including your enemies'. So if your enemies go on a streak of bad rolls for a bit, they'll get a boost to their odds of good results, including the odds of crits.

Having played a full time through the game with Karmic Dice off, my experience was that crits were quite rare. In a typical combat, I saw zero. If I saw one, I was lucky (or unlucky if the enemy landed it). If I saw multiple in the same fight, it was very lucky/unlucky, an extremely rare situation.

So, if you have that on, may want to turn it off. If you don't, well, you're getting some legitimately terrible luck there.

[Anonymouswizard]

5e doesn't mention halfling barefootedness. Maybe it changed before that, I'm not a halflingologist, but 5e has them in shoes. As an avowed traditionalist, I keep mine barefoot while in camp but I'm not committed enough to the bit to pass up on my Misty Step/Anti-Ensnare boots.

Yes, 5e forgets to mention the obvious quite a bit. And Larian could definitely add a 'hide footwear' button.

Question: do you have Karmic Dice turned on? Because from what I've read elsewhere, that could explain a weird situation like that. Karmic Dice apparently don't just apply to you, but to all rolls, including your enemies'. So if your enemies go on a streak of bad rolls for a bit, they'll get a boost to their odds of good results, including the odds of crits.

Having played a full time through the game with Karmic Dice off, my experience was that crits were quite rare. In a typical combat, I saw zero. If I saw one, I was lucky (or unlucky if the enemy landed it). If I saw multiple in the same fight, it was very lucky/unlucky, an extremely rare situation.

So, if you have that on, may want to turn it off. If you don't, well, you're getting some legitimately terrible luck there.

A mixture of karmic dice and that particular combat having 12+ enemies, making 1-2 crits a round very likely. I might turn the setting off, I mostly wanted it to make combat faster.

[Zevox]

Huh, something that's neat in retrospect that I just stumbled upon.

Spoiler: Act 1, Owlbear cave.

Show

The chest with the offering to Selûne has a little puzzle you need to solve to open it, finding a prayer sheet by the statue nearby. This was news to me, because the first time through, I was playing a Cleric of Selûne, and just got to open that chest automatically, as if it wasn't locked at all. Nice touch I didn't even notice because it was my first time through.

[Keltest]

Huh, something that's neat in retrospect that I just stumbled upon.

Spoiler: Act 1, Owlbear cave.

Show

The chest with the offering to Selûne has a little puzzle you need to solve to open it, finding a prayer sheet by the statue nearby. This was news to me, because the first time through, I was playing a Cleric of Selûne, and just got to open that chest automatically, as if it wasn't locked at all. Nice touch I didn't even notice because it was my first time through.

And if you're playing as Shadowheart, you can't unlock it at all, even the intended way. Either she refuses to, or it refuses to.

[Jophiel]

Yes, 5e forgets to mention the obvious quite a bit. And Larian could definitely add a 'hide footwear' button.

See, THOSE are the mods we need!

Also, maybe one where the game stops auto-selecting 94/40 rations when I'm trying to camp.

[Anonymouswizard]

See, THOSE are the mods we need!

Also, maybe one where the game stops auto-selecting 94/40 rations when I'm trying to camp.

And not the endless 'X unleashed' mods which give races and classes a boatload of features they don't need (inevitably including lucky. i.e. the Halfling's main racial trait).

But honestly, I'd love the ability to toggle show/hide for everything but the 'torso' slot, because sometimes the added gloves/boots/cape just look a bit silly. And an easier way to deal with food than opening the camp chest and splitting stacks.

[Keltest]

And not the endless 'X unleashed' mods which give races and classes a boatload of features they don't need (inevitably including lucky. i.e. the Halfling's main racial trait).

But honestly, I'd love the ability to toggle show/hide for everything but the 'torso' slot, because sometimes the added gloves/boots/cape just look a bit silly. And an easier way to deal with food than opening the camp chest and splitting stacks.

You don't just make Karlach carry it all?

[Anonymouswizard]

You don't just make Karlach carry it all?

And wast precious inventory space?

Also I really, really hate how the game will just sometimes decide the closest character is the one that does the conversation, especially when it stops the characters with actual social skills from doing it because they just happened to have a slower speed and the game doesn't let you switch the speaker. I'm going to be very, very annoyed if being forced to roleplay as Shadowheart causes me to break my oath.

[Psyren]

I don't know about a "hide footwear" mod, but the transmog mod does cover boots.

You don't just make Karlach carry it all?

I mean, you'd still have to split stacks if the game is autoselecting more than 40. There's a mod that eliminates the camp supplies minigame too though.

[Zevox]

The only thing I want from the "hide" feature is for it to stay on when a character isn't currently in my party. I hide those helmets and hats for a reason, I want to the characters' faces; but the game just decides that as soon they're sitting in camp, I get to see their full armor look again, whether I want to or not.

[Jophiel]

I mean, you'd still have to split stacks if the game is autoselecting more than 40.

The dumb thing is that the game skips 80% of my rations inventory to hone in on a stack of 20 apples worth 60 food. Then adds MORE on top of that: an egg here, a mushroom there, a carafe of wine... how it gets to 80+ is just insane decision making. It could easily hit 40-44 rations by just picking logical options.

To be clear, this is really just a minor (and sometimes amusing) annoyance. But I had it happen just before I said we need a halfling freed toes mod.

[Psyren]

The only thing I want from the "hide" feature is for it to stay on when a character isn't currently in my party. I hide those helmets and hats for a reason, I want to the characters' faces; but the game just decides that as soon they're sitting in camp, I get to see their full armor look again, whether I want to or not.

Yeah, I hate that too. Thought I think you just clued me in to a hidden benefit of the No Party Limit mod

[Zevox]

Just did the Phase Spider lair on my second run - deliberately chose to go in as soon as I could, at level 3, to see what that was like (did it at level 5 last time). It was definitely a noticeably harder fight than my first time, though to be fair, I'm also on Tactician difficulty instead of Balanced; but also to be fair, I'm not finding the difficulty setting has made that much difference in other fights. Here I think it may have given the big spider more spiderlings per set of eggs, though I'm not 100% sure on that, could be misremembering how many popped out on me the first time.

Anyway, while harder, I found it entirely doable. It did take me a second try due to some bad luck on the first one, and I definitely took a beating and drank a fair amount of healing potions to win it (I think I really felt my lower health at level 3 compared to 5 more than anything else), but the obvious strategy of dropping the big spider when it's on the webs came through just fine. Would've been very nice to have my old Cleric's Radiance of the Dawn channel divinity for those spiderlings though, I definitely found them way more annoying without a big AoE that doesn't hurt my allies.

[Bunny Commando]

Anyway, while harder, I found it entirely doable. It did take me a second try due to some bad luck on the first one, and I definitely took a beating and drank a fair amount of healing potions to win it (I think I really felt my lower health at level 3 compared to 5 more than anything else), but the obvious strategy of dropping the big spider when it's on the webs came through just fine. Would've been very nice to have my old Cleric's Radiance of the Dawn channel divinity for those spiderlings though, I definitely found them way more annoying without a big AoE that doesn't hurt my allies.

While it makes that part slower, you can hide and destroy the eggs beforehand without alerting the spiders, just shoot them with a ranged weapon when the Matriarch is not looking in their direction.

[Zevox]

While it makes that part slower, you can hide and destroy the eggs beforehand without alerting the spiders, just shoot them with a ranged weapon when the Matriarch is not looking in their direction.

Eh, sure, but that would be tedious. And hatching the eggs does waste some of the big spider's turns, so I'm not even sure it would be a net positive for me.

[warty goblin]

Hit level 5 this morning. My ranger's transformation into a militarized blender is pretty much complete, two base main hand attacks plus the dual wield off hand strike, plus an additional main hand attack from horde breaker on special occasions.

Its times like this that I really appreciate 5E's scoot'n'slash movement policy. Really makes that Drizzt fantasy work. Or it would if the game had any magical scimitars, I'm reduced to a short sword and a dagger.

[Anonymouswizard]

Hit level 5 this morning. My ranger's transformation into a militarized blender is pretty much complete, two base main hand attacks plus the dual wield off hand strike, plus an additional main hand attack from horde breaker on special occasions.

Its times like this that I really appreciate 5E's scoot'n'slash movement policy. Really makes that Drizzt fantasy work. Or it would if the game had any magical scimitars, I'm reduced to a short sword and a dagger.

You will learn to hate the enemies with disarming strike. It has a simple procedure for recovering from it:

1. Work out where your weapons have flown off too (I swear they're not always by your feat).
2. Re-equip one per turn using your action.
3. Pray all the enemies haven't scooted off to the other side of the arena.

It was at that point I realised exactly why both Lae'zel and Karlach default to being two handed warriors.

[Eldonauran]

You will learn to hate the enemies with disarming strike.

Is it weird that I never had to worry about disarming attacks until Act 3, and it was *literally* in Hell.

[Keltest]

Is it weird that I never had to worry about disarming attacks until Act 3, and it was *literally* in Hell.

You must have played nice with the Githyanki, a lot of their warriors like doing it.

[Anonymouswizard]

Is it weird that I never had to worry about disarming attacks until Act 3, and it was *literally* in Hell.

They appear as early as the Act 1 wrap-up (on both routes), but are pretty rare and I think set not to use it much. But they're an annoyingly effective counter to melee fighters when they do use it. I'm very glad I've yet to see enemies who also have Trip Attack.

Also I'm somewhat annoyed at the game's Human traits being much better for casters than warriors, but I do appreciate it meaning that both Wyll and Gale get Shield proficiency (and light armour for Gale, but Mage Armour is good enough for now).

[Eldonauran]

You must have played nice with the Githyanki, a lot of their warriors like doing it.

Oh, I did indeed. Lae'zel was part of my group and it would not have gone over well had I not. I suppose it doesn't hurt that my 'tank' character has a bound weapon (Eldritch Knight) and the other front liner is mostly a monk.

[Anonymouswizard]

I'm honestly considering respeccing Lae'zel into an Eldritch Knight, not because Battlemaster is weak (I suspect it's actually better) but because she strikes me as decent INT bad WIS.

Plus, you know, gish.

[Eldonauran]

I'm honestly considering respeccing Lae'zel into an Eldritch Knight, not because Battlemaster is weak (I suspect it's actually better) but because she strikes me as decent INT bad WIS.

Plus, you know, gish.

My first time through, I made Lae'zel a Eldritch Knight5/Warlock5/Paladin2. I have not regretted it for a single moment. She scares me for reasons other than the common one (romance). I did get her some Battlemaster moves with a feat. Mostly to hit people back for daring to strike her. She was sword and board for a while... until I got a specific two handed sword.

[Anonymouswizard]

My first time through, I made Lae'zel a Eldritch Knight5/Warlock5/Paladin2. I have not regretted it for a single moment. She scares me for reasons other than the common one (romance). I did get her some Battlemaster moves with a feat. Mostly to hit people back for daring to strike her. She was sword and board for a while... until I got a specific two handed sword.

I'm not having her in the party a ton this run, I'm going with Shadowheart, Karlach, and Wyll/Gale for most of it, but I might try something similar on my next run.


The biggest annoyance I have with the Paladin is that I rarely want to use spells, the default Smite is just incredibly practical. But honestly that's pretty minor and might clear up when I have more than three slots. (Or not, because I'll also have Extra Attack.)

[Eldonauran]

The biggest annoyance I have with the Paladin is that I rarely want to use spells, the default Smite is just incredibly practical. But honestly that's pretty minor and might clear up when I have more than three slots. (Or not, because I'll also have Extra Attack.)

Having the Warlock spell slots regenerate with a short rest keeps the smiting coming. I usually use my Warlock spells to buff with long term spells, and then start using them for smites after the first short rest. Also, I am able to use the Paladin spells that 'smite' as part of my normal attack routine, provided that I hit with the first attack. Strike -> Thunderous Smite -> Strike. Apparently the Extra attack from pact of the blade stacks with the Fighter's extra attack at 5th level. Lae'zel is a heavily focused charisma character in the party, since it determines her attacks rolls.

That does burn through resources quite quickly though and I usually just save the Paladin/Eldritch Knight spell slots for the harder fights or for whenever a crit pops up and it asks me if I want to use one.

[Cikomyr2]

I believe they're supposed to control more of the Astral than just the one named city where Vlaakith resides, but I'm not certain. The Githyanki have always been a fairly minor part of D&D lore, and I don't know that we have a ton of details about them besides what you see in the game already. I'm pretty certain they don't have much Realms-specific lore, they're a general D&D thing that just also happens to exist in the Realms.

In general though, any territory they control would likely be in the Astral Plane. Outside of the Astral they do only three things: fight Mind Flayers and Githzerai, stage raids to steal stuff (they're basically interplanar bandits), and establish Creches for hatching and raising their young.

Also, as far as we know, Orpheus never ruled the Gith. Vlaakith claimed power when Gith went missing, and Orpheus lost whatever bid he made to stop her. Though I also don't think Gith herself is supposed to be that much better than Vlaakith, either - she was the one whose warlike ways Zerthimon objected to, leading to the split between Githyanki and Githzerai, not Vlaakith. Vlaakith just re-centered Githyanki society around serving her above all else, it was already otherwise pretty much as it currently is before that.

Thanks. Yhea, it is just that im having a lot of difficulty making a moral judgement about the Githyanki where what is effectively their worse feature (imperial rule) is done off camera and just said "bah its merely worlds in the astral plane".

Toril is a world in the astral plane. All material planes are worlds in the astra plane, are Githyanki actually conqueror of whole civilisation or they only settle little outpost to grab key resource + grow their number? (Like an alien invader capturing Chile and settling an enclave there to exploit its lithium reserve).

And yhea, your 2nd point is also a big deal

Spoiler: Act 3

Show

would freeing Orpheus just.. release the Githyanki into a new conquering frenzy? Am i unleashing Alexander the Great 2.0 on the multiverse?

Or would it allow them to refocus on themselves rather than lose themselves in the service of a lich queen?

Hell, my paranoid instinct has me wondering if the Githyanki didnt completely stop their xenocide of the Illithids because they lost Orpheus/Gith psionic disrupting activity, forcing them to stop attacking elder brains directly and instead focused on guerilla strikes and resource gathering.

[Eldonauran]

Aren't the Material Plane and the Astral Plane two different dimensions/planes? I was under the impression that the Astral Plane co-exists along side a number of other different planes of existence, requiring specific kinds of magic to travel between the two. You've got the whole material universe and then you've got the Astral, where time doesn't work the same.

[Cikomyr2]

Aren't the Material Plane and the Astral Plane two different dimensions/planes? I was under the impression that the Astral Plane co-exists along side a number of other different planes of existence, requiring specific kinds of magic to travel between the two. You've got the whole material universe and then you've got the Astral, where time doesn't work the same.

I mean..

Its magic/real space. Its the void between realities. Its the great nothing of existence with only stars, asteroids and dead gods and countless other material worlds, each with their gods, but still connected to the Planes their own way.

[Eldonauran]

I mean..

Its magic/real space. Its the void between realities. Its the great nothing of existence with only stars, asteroids and dead gods and countless other material worlds, each with their gods, but still connected to the Planes their own way.

It has other 'material worlds'? You mean actual worlds that have been pulled into it or coalesced from debris within the realm itself, or do you mean other 'material realms' like the one that Toril resides in? Time doesn't 'flow' in the Astral Plane like it does in the Material Realm, so any life that is there is stuck at its current stage of development. Githyanki have to lay their eggs on planes with actual time in order to create the next generation.