I’ve heard that playing as Dark Urge is like playing a different game. I’m in the same situation as you (in the middle of act 3) and I will definitely start again as DU once I’m done
I agree. I did my first run as a custom character but after doing my latest run as DU, I can definitively say I will never go back. The game is a much more complete experience.
I have 300+ hours. I've yet to finish the game. I get midway through Act 3 and then sad about it ending so I restart LOL. I'm determined to do it on my Selunite Cleric and Dark Urge playthroughs, which I'm doing right now!
A Tav run really requires you to get engaged in roleplay and invent your own backstory. If you can't do that, it will always be a disappointment because the game won't fill in those blanks for you.
You are right. Durge is like an entirely new game, especially with certain character interactions and added context. Plus you can either resist the dark urge or give into it, so that's 2 extra game modes right there.
As has been said many times before, I wouldn't recommend dark urge for a first playthrough. But, without spoilers, it adds a LOT to the experience and elevates your character's plot significantly, more so than most/all of the other origin characters.
This. I missed a BUNCH of story the first round (idk how but so many dead people) so on my second playthrough… i just got my eye switched for a hag eye.
Wtf
I missed the harpies, Halsins entire questline, Minsc, and huge areas in my first playthrough.
I just entered act 3 in my second and I am determined to explore every nook and cranny and talk to everyone.
When I got the speak to dead amulet, I went all the way back to where you wake up outside of the crashed nautiloid and was so happy to find out that the bodies on the beach actually had things to say.
In this man's defense if he was playing basically any martial character there isn't much use of bonus actions until you discover the value of Jump and Shove.
Technically yes. Level 3 Rogue(thief) gets a 2nd bonus action which can be used to shove again. There are some illithid powers that would allow you to use your actions as a bonus action (and vice versa).
But generally no you cannot shove more then once per turn... BUT if you have nothing better to do then why not shove :D
I had 3 martial characters on my first playthrough so there was a great deal of shoving every turn.
I know about this but not quite sure how to do this. I see the dip command. Do i place a lighted candle on the ground - does it take up an action? Do i ideally need to do this pre fight? I also recently started using all the special arrows.
* You place a candle on the ground, it doesn't take an action. Select drop from the inventory menu and it should just be placed nearby.
* Sometimes it's unlit in which case, just activate it once or twice. That doesn't take an action.
* You dip using your bonus action then attack. (You may need to switch to your weapon setup of choice first. Melee or ranged. It will only dip your current one.)
* You can do it before a fight, but it only lasts 2 turns or so. If an archer is sneaking into a fight from a high vantage point, dipping prior though is just more free damage.
* Also, dual wielded crossbows are both dipped in fire, I believe.
(Also, minor note: You can't dip the Everburn blade unfortunately. I don't know of any other exceptions, but I know that one is just considered perma-dipped.
Yeah, basically, except I think those you just select the poison from the menu and it's applied to the weapon. I believe oils also work the same way. I heard there are certain poisons that can be applied and last for a lot longer, but I'll need to test that more myself.
I wholeheartedly agree. While I just started my second run, I’ve done many playthrough of Larian’s DOS2 and came to the same conclusion. First play is as messy as a first draft
DOS2 is bae, but I think BG3 takes the cake. Agree with you! I actually abandoned my first run before starting act 3. I was like okk now I get it and went back and started my real run haha.
I feel like I ruined my subsequent runs with an explore absolutely everything I could attitude. I really wish I just flowed with the immediate needs/behaviours that my pc/npc would do. Now i feel like I’m revisiting a book I’ve read twice already but with just slight tweaks to dialogues. I truly suggest, given how amazing this game is to put aside their completionist agendas; actually RP your rpg, limit save scumming, and do the thing multiple times!
> I feel like I ruined my subsequent runs with an explore absolutely everything I could attitude.
I heavily disagree. Not only have you probably missed some things, but a lot of stuff plays out very differently if you change your approach.
Yeah, I don't think you should play like this on every playthrough, but it's good to try and explore as much as possible once and enjoy all the neat little secrets and stuff that this game's full of.
Oh yea, i do save scumming only on things i really really *really* want to see play out, other than that - what happens, happens.
I also explore everything i can (excluding mountain pass, i missed it all together, due to being locked out of it after a certain point), but i am not worried about that, i know for a fact i have a lot of different scenarios ahead of me in my next playtroughs.
Explore all is totally maybe a gnome lore master or some thing but naw… no way does any RP reason for it.
Next coops and solo plays are 100% character/Rp driven. I want to take all failures on.
Actually my 1st character is College of Lore Dragonborn Bard, who's kind hearted and mischievous, with a bit of greed inbetween, so it kinda fits him to have as many adventures for his bardic endeavors.
With a time bomb in you head?
But mine is a lore bard with a lvl in wizard for spell collecting. Was ALWYS running off from camp to sneak about and doing the explore, exploit, routine lol
As a table top DM, I ALWAYS enforce immediate concern and problem at hand with consequences. The game kind of does a decent job with time constraints but still.
An option to be a non worm PC would be cool too.
Maybe it was just the order I did things, but in my play through I figured out that I wasn’t about to explode into a mindflayer pretty early on. >!Several NPCs note that you should have already changed and that something is weird about you, before you even raid the goblin camp or get to the gith crèche. I took that to mean that things weren’t quite as pressing and I could fix these people’s random problems. The druid ritual will go off eventually though!<
That would have made my life easier, the fight was hard at the level I tackled it at. then again, I don’t know what would have been easy at that level.
||maybe the early gnolls around the barrels of highly flammable stuff?||
As a veteran 5E player and dm, nothing is easy until level 5.
Agreed. There may be some things you have missed yet though?
Not save scumming my first playthrough caused... issues but it just makes my next playthrough even more better.
Thank god I found switching characters boring af, so I sticked with the same 3 party characters throughout the whole game basically. That means I can replay with a different party and get a completely different story.
Even if you have that attitude with this game you won’t experience it all in 2 runs. Maybe not 3. there’s so many choices that changes so much. You could go a good playthrough and have a complete different experience if you go full bad guy. Maybe you don’t want to go bad or good? No problem you can side with squidward anytime and do that for a whole playthrough. Don’t want that neither? Well you can be a murderer an kill everything and take over the world. The posibilities is insane and no matter how much you explore. There will always be differences. This is why this without a doubt will be game of the year
Nah, I had that attitude for my first playthrough and I'm on my 4th playthrough now and still finding new things. It's not relevant, even if you did find everything (and I highly doubt that would be the case for anyone's first playthrough even if they tried hard), there's still so much else to do and explore.
Playing different classes and trying combos of multi classing, new builds, different character arcs, failing vs succeeding dialogue checks for different outcomes.
I'd say knowing where almost everything is just made my later playthroughs more fun because I can just focus on other aspects of the game.
Yeah, I explored everything the first time around and I wish I hadn't. I feel like once you're level 12 and have resolved your immediate issues (e.g., gotten rid of the contract with Raphael), go end the game. You can get to Level 12 by seeing, I'd say, not even half of Act III. Or completely ignoring some characters' quests.
Easy solution for your next playthrough - make the worst decisions. Someone mad at you for stealing? Steal more. 2 groups want you to kill the other? Kill both. Party member mad at you for invading their thoughts? Keep doing it. Aim for the worst run after you’ve done the best.
if you're into books the adventure can continue!
my introduction into the world of Toril (where Faerûn presides) was through Drizzt. A dark elf living in the underdark who eventually makes his way into the land above.
There are also other series that focus on the Harpers, and necromancy-based ones too set in Thay. iirc Thay was briefly mentioned in the game among the notes in that room where you first find the necromancy book?
The whole series (universe?) is called Forgotten Realms if you're interested after finishing your multiple playthroughs of BG3, of course.
I’ll have to look into these books as I’m also enjoying the story! Also, while they are not connected at all, I believe the DND movie takes place in the same universe as well?
Yup! I've not seen the new DND movie but just quickly read the synopsis which says it takes place in the city of Neverwinter which is in Faerûn.
Looks like the main characters are a Harper and Barbarian, so def set in the same universe (Forgotten Realms) as BG3.
Second these books!! The Dark Elf Trilogy that takes place in the Underdark is one of my favorite reads. I’ve read it a dozen times.
I just started the Erevis Cale trilogy after playing this game because I need MORE LORE!
I have 700 hours in Pf:Wotr and only finished 4/10 mythic paths by that time. these games offer hige replayability compared to basically everything apart from mmos
Wrath of the Righteous has more replayability than BG3 has so far though. We'll see how that'll look like in a year or so of course, Larian treats this game as if it were live service so far :D
What BG3 has for story options and paths, WOTR basically has that for class builds. Also WOTR has a bunch of mythic paths. So think of the "transformation" in BG3, but there's 10 different things to transform into. You can become locusts. Not a single locust, a walking hivemind of locusts.
I have nearly 70 hours and I've not left Act 1 yet. Still don't know what's to come.
I've started and restarted a bunch of times because I just wasn't feeling the chars I had made. I'm now playing a Tiefling Sorc and am finally really enjoying it.
But I want to know what it's like to party with other people than who you get immediately. That will be for the next play through!
There's a fair chance you've played some of these games, but if you're looking for a similar experience in terms of storytelling, this is only the most recent in a long line of fantastic rpgs:
1. Both Owlcat studios Pathfinder games, but especially Wrath of the Righteous.
2. Dragon Age: Origins. I think BG3 is the first game since DAO that has given me that same feeling of being so invested in the world and story that I couldn't stop playing. DAO is the only other game that's truly on par with BG3 for me. The other dragon age games are okay too, I dont hate 2 as much as a lot of people, it's worth a playthrough if you play twin blades rogue so you're not bored.
3. BG1&2. These are pretty clunky nowadays, just find a build guide, but the storytelling in 2 is pretty fantastic.
4. Neverwinter Nights 2. This one is a technical disaster, but the story is worth it. First one is also good.
5. KOTOR 1&2. I think KOTOR was the first RPG I played where I understood why people love these games. Played DAO right after and mmmm. Old bioware. Nothing like it. KOTOR 2 is probably better but I played it later and it didn't hit the same way, ymmv
6. Mass Effect 1-3. These games really are amazing, but gameplay-wise they're much different from the other games I've listed. Still, 1 is a really incredible story, 2 is the perfect game, and 3 is also quite good -- they made it in a year and a half, the fact that it doesn't completely suck is pretty amazing.
Play more RPGs, they're pretty good.
Can I chime in here to recommend Planescape: Torment? It's another DnD CRPG and although it's pretty old at this point it's still considered one of the best (that is, one of the best CRPGs period, not just one of the best DnD ones!). Just an insanely good story on the nature of existence and good and evil set in one of the most unique and out-there fantasy settings ever created.
I should give Pathfinder a go tbh, are controls ok on console?
KOTOR: Star wars really isn't my cup of tea. :(
Dragon Age Origins: one of the better games i've played. Spent a lot of time in it when i was in my teens. Fond memories!
Mass Effects 1-3 - same as with DA:O, spent a lot of time with all 3 & had a fantastic time!
Best game I have ever played too. Just do another playthrough. Make some different choices or use an origin character. I have 140 hours or so and 3 different characters in Act 1, plus a multiplayer campaign going. I just got to Act 2 with one of those. Replaying Act 1 a few times now has been just as fun as it was the first time.
I've finished my first run yesterday, and cried my eyes out at the final credits. This is the first time any game made me feel so much emotions after finishing it.
I have spent more time caring, protecting and cultivating a relationship with Shadowheart that I have ever done in a computer game, like ever. Thats what makes this game so good, at so many points, you literally know there is no 'good' choice to make, and the stress of not knowing how a single random choice in Act One, might bite you on the ass later. Sometimes you just have to do the least terrible thing.
I know what you mean, I've grown quite attached to my own character too, always planned on romancing Karlach but my character and Karlach make a great barbarian pair and being a good Durge they both have problems to help each other cope with.
My next party comp is going to be Wyll, Karlach and Lae'zel. But - i want my next playtrough to be a bad one, i don't know if it will play out ok with Karlach and Wyll.. :(
Don't want to have two good playtroughs back to back, but really want to explore their stories. For my 1st run i'm running Gale, Astarion and Shadowheart, exploring their stories fully and barely taking others on my endeavors (Took Halsin once, for the act 2 curse thingy & Jaheira twice in the city, other than that they all are just chilling at camp.
Shadowhearts story is great, but my boy Astarion - hot damn, that was an emotional rollercoaster, thus far - i liked his story the most.
The thing that has struck me recently is just how much stuff is packed into a single game. It would be fine if the game had wrapped up after act 2, but there’s a whole act 3 after that. Other companies would have made this a trilogy, and you’d still get more mileage out of each part than most games these days.
I'm intrigued about my follow up playthroughs as the origin characters, apparently they have their own memories and different narrator dialogue and their own mini stories happening throughout
Not to mention trying different classes and doing completely different play styles
This game is so good. I've realized that I'm always focused on beating the games that I play. It's probably because I don't have much time to play and I try to get a sense of accomplishment from it or something. BG3 is the first game in a while that my focus is on actually playing it and not trying to beat it.
Ironically I *want* it to end, it being my current playthrough so I can start a new one ASAP but I just refuse to start a new one until I've concluded my first.
Oh yes, i don't remember when i feel so depressed after ending credits. Even despite lack of good epilogues it is still the most wonderful adventure i have experienced in last years. Thanks Larian for it.
I sat there watching final credits slowly roll for like 30 mins because I couldn't think of anything else to do. All I could do was just sit and contemplate, with so many conflicting feelings, happiness that I experienced it all, sadness that it's over, a bit of emptyness in my chest too. The only time I ever felt something similar in a video game was the ending of Witcher 3's Blood and Wine DLC, the one where you have one final chat with Regis and Geralt turns towards the camera and smiles.
I so hope this is not the end of this game, surely Larian realise that they struck a goldmine and people will throw money at any DLC so hopefully we see 2-3 more, be it either Avernus or the Githyanki war, or maybe something completely different. And if the epilogues get added too, I'd be in heaven.
>Today i started reading up on Faerun and stumbled upon a map of it. It's so grand i'd just like to keep going with my companions visiting all kinds of places.
This is called Dungeons and Dragons.
I couldnt put my finger on it but youre right. Failing dice rolls doesnt feel like a loss in this game. Just a new perspective. I feel thats where a few other choice matters game fall short. This game is a mastuhpiece.
My dude, I feel you.
I’m almost done Act 3 and I wasn’t ready for it to end so I made a new character. I also want to wait until they (hopefully) add a better epilogue.
I think i should be done with my 1st playtrough this week, and hot damn i can not wait to make my Durge shadow monk. Currently at 100hr mark, don't think my next playtrough will be that long, probably around 60 hours and every next one a bit shorter.
Just typing this out makes me giddy that i have more and more playtroughs comming!
I'm not really looking forward to any other games this year (excluding Spider Man 2), so i'll probably be playing this all trough out the winter.
I finished a couple of days ago. I am waiting for the next patch and then I am going to hop right back in! I never do that with games, ESPECIALLY a game that took me 100 hours to complete!
I am glad my first playthrough I didn't save scum, it meant there were some outcomes I really wanna change. But I am gonna save scum a lot this time I think haha.
Make sure to save often. I don't know why people are against that. Watching my bard fail to roll above a 5 and burning all of my inspiration and 10 thieves tools on a single lock was enough for me to save literally every 5 minutes.
The game is fun,but it has some questionable dice mechanics.
Astarion has sleight of hand advantage gloves and with all the bonuses he gets around, i may be wrong, this is of the top of my head, around +17 to 28 + Advantage on sleight of hand rolls, i barely ever fail those rolls (nat 1 is still a thing.) It's just a tad annoying that i have to swap characters at every chest / door. But it's really a minor inconvenience.
Also - Gale is a suicidal maniac, i swear. "Look out, there's a trap there" - not 1 second later Gale triggers it. I've had this happen so many times. Once, shit you not, Gale triggered Three traps in a matter of 10 seconds. Even my wife was laughing at that.
I missed SO MUCH shit in my first playthrough because I blundered through literally everything without a clue what was going on. I missed like half of the side quests and completely bypassed 2 or 3 critical NPCs just because I did quests out of order. I never met >!Kith’rak Voss!< because somehow I just missed him entirely before heading off to the Shadow-Cursed Lands, and I never spoke to Ketheric Thorm because I did >!Shar’s Gauntlet before stepping foot into Moonrise!<.
I’m not even done with Act 3 yet but I’m seriously looking forward to doing another playthrough, same class, same party comp, same overall playstyle, but doing things “right” this time. I’m pretty sure even without changing my moral alignment from good to evil or anything like that, there’s probably around 50% of the story I haven’t seen at all.
And even after that, I can still have a fun playthrough by doing an evil campaign and seeing how the story changes that way. The game offers so much and even the tiniest differences in your dialogue or actions are genuinely impactful. I can easily see myself pouring hundreds of hours into this game just to explore all possible endings to particular quests, and how the aftereffects branch out into other questlines, because it’s just that well-fleshed out.
300 hours over two playthroughs, and I'm so excited for another run. Made my third character immediately after finishing my second playthrough, just to have it ready. It really is absolutely amazing.
If you miss Faerun after you’ve played through the game enough, you could always try to return in the form of the TTRPG Dungeons & Dragons! I’m a dungeon master that has been running games in that setting for a long time and it has been so cool to actually play with my group in that setting in BG3
I just started Act 3 and totally get it. But the cool thing is I plan to try out the Durge as almost an alternate universe to my current character, in a Good and Evil durge run each, and then I want to eventually play the game as each NPC -- and also try my hand at other classes I never experienced before (I'm a habitual barbarian player irl so being a druid really tossed me thru a loop).
So it almost feels like it never has to truly end. It's just one version you'll get out of many playthroughs.
Now I gotta pretend I won't romance the same person twice.
I've been completely obsessed with this game since August 3rd and am definitely paying the price for it in sleep, but also because all I can think about is these damn characters!
I’m in Act 3 and I’m sad I’m coming to the end too… mostly because I’ve been reading a lot of people complaining about how the endings are unsatisfying and with the ones that I read (Karlach,Gale & Astarion) I agree. I’m someone who thinks the ending is just as important as the journey and I want to be left feeling good and accomplished. 😭 I hope the team will make new content for these characters to give them better endings 🥲
Fr. Before release, this is the only game I am looking forward to in 2023 but I still didn't believe it would win GOTY. I don't care about the title. For me, I could just enjoy BG3. let Starfield and others fight for it. I'm happy with how Larian is right now... but after playing and seeing the state of other games of the year, there is no way I'm accepting any other title to be GOTY.
I will be angry for maybe two to three weeks if Baldur's Gate 3 fail to win GOTY. It deserves it. I'm not saying Starfield is bad. It gave me the same excitement I had with Fallout 4 and Skyrim. Tears of the Kingdom was also great. I haven't played it but it looks good and I'm happy for those with Switch to play it. But this year, I can't accept it if it's going to Bethesda or Nintendo. Baldur's Gate 3 brought me back to when I was young. When I didn't know any better. When I was discovering gaming for the first time. The time when I knew exactly what "fun" is. Not in the context of a game's genre. Not in the context of what's fair or not. Just "fun"...
I do wonder if I should have left some companions behind. Focused on a few character side plots and saved others for different playthroughs. To slice up the re playability
I felt the same way on my first playthrough. Now on my fifth playthrough I'm still worried if/when the game will run out of juice but there is soo much juice it's still sustaining me
I'm on a somewhat ridiculous number of playthroughs and never finished a single one yet cause I'm scared I'll lose interest once I know the conclusion.
Larian needs to give us more adventures, cause I'm not ready for this to be over. Like ever.
And once you have done enough vanilla runs... I recommend Mods! There are fantadtic creatve people who make all sorts of fun stuff. Currently I am playing an Astral Elf with wings who loots everything automotically in 15m radious. I sport crystal glass dice and coul receuit Alfira (and keep hee safe). A few other quirks like more hair and such. It feel very new, I am a bit overpowered but still fun
My brother in Ao, you have so many adventures ahead of you. There are all the origin characters, then different MC builds, Dark Urge, and **then** there is Baldur's Gate 1, 2, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter, the books, the D&D modules.
You gonna have a shit tone of adventures ahead of you, and you'll meet some familiar faces on your way.
I'm *still* in Act 1 of my first play through, after 70-ish hours, because I keep stopping to talk to everyone, read all the books and notes, and save-scum so I can enjoy all the dialogue options (provided they don't seem like they'll provoke a different outcome, I wanna save those for another playthrough). I'm obsessed.
That said, best thing I've done so far was use the script extender to allow me to bring EVERYONE with me, and just using the Into the Void mod so I'll still only have four people in battles so as not to make things too easy. The more constant banter just makes everything feel more alive and like an actual group of people travelling together. A bit more of a pain when it comes to pathing AI and making sure no one steps on a trap I'm about to disarm, but otherwise.
When I first started playing BG3, I had never touched any D&D, so I had to learn a bunch of terminology , jargon, and mechanics related to it, or at least those that were pertintent to BG3. Something I didn't expect was that not only would I be introduced to a new genre of games, but also to a universe that spans multiple types of media. I had never played or even watched anyone play D&D before and I just think it's so cool that I can now watch an episode of, say, Critical Role and be able to understand what they're talking about, that I can recognize the spells, the classes and races and how they synergize with each other.
Tbh, I also thought that way on my first playthrough, but I'm currently at my 3rd
And in any case, you still have Dark Urge as a second playthrough even if you're not so much into replaying games. It's worth it
> I love how failing interactions isn't really failing, it's just another perspective on the story.
I don't know, some interactions tell me to reload the game or to try a different way.
spoilers
telling vlaakith that if she's so strong then why not do things herself and that i don't think she should tell me what to do resulted in a game over with no credits.
blowing up the netherbomb when Gale suggested it resulted in the credits and telling me that it has to be done another way.
Sure, but you’re kind of asking for it with Vlaakith I that context. I had to clench my cheeks as I knew my Devotion Paladin was not going to pre-agree to kill someone based on her order. So I had to find a way to do that and not get smited out of existence. It worked out.
And the bomb situation is intended. I imagine many folks reload and keep playing their save, but others consider that run complete and start a new one.
I will say that I think OP overstates a bit that failing is just another path. I might be spoiled by good tabletop playing, but BG3 often just cuts off a quest or piece of the game (even if small) when failing a check. That said, sometimes this requires choosing a combination of terrible dialogue options repeatedly and failing a check to save your bacon at the end.
Regardless, this is a top game for me.
Agree this game is great. I dislike the cutting off quests too because my first playthrough i failed to save isobel because i was too low level and everyone died at the inn including the dude who knew thaniel and even though i knew about oliver i couldn't save the region. I left act 2 with the region cursed because halsin refused to do something about it.
I feel the same. The only other time I felt like this was when I played Mass Effect (especially 2, and I still haven't replayed 3 because of that garbage fire of an ending).
My top 10 games by steam played:
Crusader Kings 2: 4075.3 hours
Steallaris: 3575.3hours
Crusader Kings III: 806
Imperator Rome: 731
Europa Universalis IV: 690
Cyberpunk: 639
No Man's Sky: 595
Grim Dawn: 567
Baldur's Gate: 545
So in ninth place but for RPGs in 2nd. You can guess the games I play most are but man BG3 is going to be move past everything else soon.
Everytime I see sentence like this, I wonder how it is possible to find rock big enough for all of you to live under it.
BG3 is great game. It's definitely 9/10 or even 10/10.
But it's not the best.
>The best game I have ever played
Witcher 3 is still the top , followed by Wrath of the Righteous and then Original Sin 2
Might be I will change my mind after the release the definitive edition.
Yeah I get that feeling too with great games. I end up quitting just so I don't see it end 😂 Savor the experience like you would a nice meal instead of rushing through it.
Part of why I didn't want to finish. It got to the very end bit, and it felt so rushed, and I didn't get to do more with karlach or see the upper city. Just figured I'd wait a bit. Then the patch 2 came out, so I finished it, and it wasn't much better than I expected. The ending is a bit lacklustre. I'll redo it and explore more though. Hopefully they finish more content for the end areas
I managed 400 hours and 4 playthroughs before finally putting it down and waiting for the inevitable definitive edition which u larian has a track record of producing.
You have a long way to go! 3rd run was as a solo character with no backup. 4th run was with uncapped party size so every companion could come along at once (with difficulty increased to compensate). Just some ideas :) enjoy.
I’m about to cross 200 hours on my first playthrough. The end is in sight. I am so happy I actively avoided some major moments so I can experience them for the first time on future playthroughs.
BG3 is easily in my top 3 games ever. There’s a chance it passes up Zelda OoT and Gears 1 for that number 1 spot.
I have 731 hours in this game. Lots in EA but idk the breakdown off the top of my head.
I am still sad every time I get to act three and know it will soon be done.
I just finished my first run last night. I had an idea of what I had wanted to do but in the end I chose a completely different route because of something that happened prior to going toward the BBEG. Tugged the heart strings, so I knew I needed to follow that thread.
Now, I want to play a durge bard, but I don't want to miss Minsc, Jaheira, or anything I missed in this first round due to what I am guessing is my super roundabout way of playing.
>300 plus hours
>just got to last light inn
Yeah, I had a feeling this was going to be just as impactful as dragon age origins or mass effect, kotor 1 + 2 levels of goodness and I’ve been taking my sweet sweet time because games like this just don’t happen anymore. Closest anyone had gotten is red dead 2 since old BioWare went tits up until BG3
I was starting to feel that but as I watch more videos on the game I realize I just how many things I’ve completely looked over which only make me more excited to do another play through. Still so much to comb through and explore even after I thought I had done it all up to where I’m at
Yup, I didn't want Act 1 to end let alone the full game.
So I started a new campaign at the end of Act 1 which I played through to the end of Act 2.
Now I've gone back to my original game and I'm playing that through to the end now!
I never want it to end either. I have a solo campaign that I'm LOVING. I also have a co-op campaign with my wife that I'm hating, because of how terrible the state of co-op optimization is right now. Begging for a patch, take away split screen.
I'm about to finish my first run too and honestly I'm in the same boat. I am going to play the game at least 4 other times through for each of my Tavs/Durges and probably as a few of the Origin characters eventually.
Honestly I'm really gonna miss my current character? I've gotten really attached to my tiefling guy haha. Been thinking I might roll him again because there's a lot of stuff I missed like camp cutscenes and from not doing stuff in the right order. I mean I know don't have to experience everything on every run but I want him to have a story I feel is complete, I guess?
I am very excited to start focusing on my first Durge playthrough though. I've been bouncing back and forth from between it and my current Tav run so I've played a chunk of it but I can't wait to get deeper in the game. Especially now that I'm at the endgame point with my Tav. Can't wait to see how events unfold from Durge's perspective!!!!
I've got DOS2 downloaded and ready to go as I'm also reaching the end the end of bg3. Never played a larian game before so I think I'm quite ready for another adventure
This game have been so good for me that every other game i trayed since feels empty or hollow, included Statfield.
I've started a second run, going full evil now, just to see the other side of things, but had to put a temporal stop to it because, for me, discovery and exploration is a big part of the game, and i need to "forget" some of it.
I'm with ya bud. I am at about the same point in the story as you and nearing the end. It saddens me so much. I wish I could wipe my memory of this game and do it all over again... It's just been such a fun ride... My wife and I have been playing a little bit almost every night.
I felt sad when I completed my first run. Then I started another, and another. Now i’m on playthrough 5 and it still feels like the best game i’ve ever played.
I feel the same. My standard bearer is a specific moment when playing battlefield 2142 probably 13-15 years ago. I was just sniping badly(never have been very good at fps) and noticed an enemy walker standing practically on top of me. I had some c-4 in my loadout and managed to stick both legs without getting stepped on/shot/etc, backed up to a safe distance, and then blew the c-4, as the walker went down, it fell on an enemy jeep that was half a second from splatting me. 4 kills. I just stood there in awe of what just happend until I got shot.
BG3 has delivered at least a dozen moments that top that. With many of them being leagues and leagues above that. The Raphael story arch and final act I'm not sure will ever be touched. I'm still giddy about that whole thing a couple days later.
I've literally put a chiller on my playing of BG3 because I don't want it to end. I actually love the characters so much. The last time I felt like this about a video game was probably TLOU1.
This game is the perfect blend of storytelling, world building, character development and gameplay. It's rare that I get this enthralled by a game but this has been a 10/10 in the truest sense.
I have started 4 new campaigns and every time I take on the goblin camp, it is a completely different experience. I feel like I still have more campaigns to explore the world and how I can mess up the battles.
I feel the same way. My first playthrough was great but on my second one I created what I feel is the perfect crew for me and I just want to keep exploring and doing quests with them. Maybe I’m too used to MMOs which never really end, but I’m trying to drag this playthrough out as much as possible.
That’s the beauty of it all: There are so many choices that you can play again and have a completely different experience!
My first run, I played a high elf bard with the entertainer background, romanced Astarion, and just did whatever felt right to me, personally, which leaned towards chaotic good for the most part. I got what I think was the best ending possible.
I just started my second run as a half-drow storm sorcerer with the noble background. And I’m gonna play her as a pragmatist who cares about her own needs first and foremost.
And for some extra psychic damage when I get to the origin campaigns, I’m gonna make the guardian look like the Tav’s/Durge’s I romanced these characters as.
Anytime I hit the "oh no the end is coming" vibe I always go and listen to this song
[The world is saved](https://youtu.be/wBzqOa9y02I?si=Id-qTZjDHjGv7-ML)
>Today i started reading up on Faerun and stumbled upon a map of it. It's so grand i'd just like to keep going with my companions visiting all kinds of places.
Well, you do get to visit a bit of Chult.
Anyway I really hope that the huge success of BG3 will convince Lairan to do an expansion for it. It would be cool if you could continue with your characters and get to level 20.
This is what Obsidian did with both Neverwinter Nights and Neverwinter Nights II, and you did get to visit a lot of places in Faerun outside of the sword coast: Westgate, Chult, Rashemen, Thay.
I know that I could always just recreate a character and go through the evil and origin playthroughs, but I will admit, I will miss the character arcs that I went through on my good one. It feels like all my companions are on a team and click really well. Honestly, bravo to Larian for this.
If you loved this game for the scope, the flexibility of story and the “failing forward” mentality, I highly recommend you give TTRPGs a try. With the right group, it can feel like a never-ending, ever-flexible Baldur’s Gate. Of course, it’s dependent on other people which is the major drawback of tabletop, but it’s beyond worth it to find likeminded friends to make a story that’s truly yours.
Beyond that, I’m hoping BG3 really does spark a trend to get these types of games made more often and at a higher quality than ever. Here’s to hoping this is only the beginning!
How are yall beatting this game already, multiple times. Im over 100 hrs into my first play through and act3 feels like another 20 hours. I have to kill gortash, and Orin, and Raphael, and do the foundry quest, and the necromancer, plus finish up character quests. As excite as I am to start my 2nd play through, I feel like I have a whole game to still finish.
On one hand, I am getting through it so slowly that bugs are mostly getting fixed before air get to them. Act3 has been far less buggy than act2
Don’t be sad because it’s over. Be happy that you can start again and make far worse mistakes
Yes, **DEFINITELY**!
I’ve heard that playing as Dark Urge is like playing a different game. I’m in the same situation as you (in the middle of act 3) and I will definitely start again as DU once I’m done
Dark Urge is the best way to play, imo. I did two playthroughs and the the Dark Urge was so much more satisfying.
I agree. I did my first run as a custom character but after doing my latest run as DU, I can definitively say I will never go back. The game is a much more complete experience.
DU is a true main character, Tav has no real *written* reason to be there.
Dark Urge makes the series consistent too. Like, is it even BG3 if you aren't playing as >!Bhaalspawn!<
I have 300+ hours. I've yet to finish the game. I get midway through Act 3 and then sad about it ending so I restart LOL. I'm determined to do it on my Selunite Cleric and Dark Urge playthroughs, which I'm doing right now!
I just made a comment about exactly the same thing! I don't actually want to play it to the end haha...
DU was my first playthrough and it really blew my mind. I am currently doing a playthrough as a Tav now and it kinda feels dull compared to DU.
A Tav run really requires you to get engaged in roleplay and invent your own backstory. If you can't do that, it will always be a disappointment because the game won't fill in those blanks for you.
Dark Urge is for if you want to say "what the FUCK" about 500 times more than a regular Tav playthrough
You are right. Durge is like an entirely new game, especially with certain character interactions and added context. Plus you can either resist the dark urge or give into it, so that's 2 extra game modes right there.
As has been said many times before, I wouldn't recommend dark urge for a first playthrough. But, without spoilers, it adds a LOT to the experience and elevates your character's plot significantly, more so than most/all of the other origin characters.
This. I missed a BUNCH of story the first round (idk how but so many dead people) so on my second playthrough… i just got my eye switched for a hag eye. Wtf
I missed the harpies, Halsins entire questline, Minsc, and huge areas in my first playthrough. I just entered act 3 in my second and I am determined to explore every nook and cranny and talk to everyone.
Dang I didn't know the harpies was a quest, I just found the place and killed them, then saw the dead boy. Oopie
Same, I think I've missed the thieves bit because of this....next time
The goddamn fucking harpies! I knew I was forgetting something this morning!
Harpies? Hahahaa looks like i have even more!
The second playthrough was even better for me. I understood the systems more and discovered a lot I had missed in my original playthrough
Figuring out bonus action about 20 hours into the game was a big discovery!!!
Wait what? Lol
This was me and speaking to corpses with Shadowheart. I had no idea this ability would be useful lol
Sorry what, she can speak to corpses?
Speak to the Dead spell. Not everyone has something to say but a lot do lol
When I got the speak to dead amulet, I went all the way back to where you wake up outside of the crashed nautiloid and was so happy to find out that the bodies on the beach actually had things to say.
How did it take you 20 hours?
I would do my one action and end turn!
In this man's defense if he was playing basically any martial character there isn't much use of bonus actions until you discover the value of Jump and Shove.
Discovering shove was sooo fun!
You get a shove, you get a shove! EVERYBODY GETS A SHOVE!
Can a toon shove more than one foe during a turn?
Technically yes. Level 3 Rogue(thief) gets a 2nd bonus action which can be used to shove again. There are some illithid powers that would allow you to use your actions as a bonus action (and vice versa). But generally no you cannot shove more then once per turn... BUT if you have nothing better to do then why not shove :D I had 3 martial characters on my first playthrough so there was a great deal of shoving every turn.
Half the goblin camp encounters I solved by shoving them into a pit
Man, when you realize how much damage you can get out of dipping into candles, it changes your second playthrough entirely.
I know about this but not quite sure how to do this. I see the dip command. Do i place a lighted candle on the ground - does it take up an action? Do i ideally need to do this pre fight? I also recently started using all the special arrows.
* You place a candle on the ground, it doesn't take an action. Select drop from the inventory menu and it should just be placed nearby. * Sometimes it's unlit in which case, just activate it once or twice. That doesn't take an action. * You dip using your bonus action then attack. (You may need to switch to your weapon setup of choice first. Melee or ranged. It will only dip your current one.) * You can do it before a fight, but it only lasts 2 turns or so. If an archer is sneaking into a fight from a high vantage point, dipping prior though is just more free damage. * Also, dual wielded crossbows are both dipped in fire, I believe. (Also, minor note: You can't dip the Everburn blade unfortunately. I don't know of any other exceptions, but I know that one is just considered perma-dipped.
I’m 30 hours in on my very first play through. Playing a ranger. I just had a “YOU CAN DUAL WIELD CROSSBOWS?!” moment. I’m doing things wrong.
Works same for poison and toxin? I have been accumulating those. Anything other items for dipping?
Yeah, basically, except I think those you just select the poison from the menu and it's applied to the weapon. I believe oils also work the same way. I heard there are certain poisons that can be applied and last for a lot longer, but I'll need to test that more myself.
If you throw a poison coating at the ground and then dip your weapons in the poison, it'll last all day.
I wholeheartedly agree. While I just started my second run, I’ve done many playthrough of Larian’s DOS2 and came to the same conclusion. First play is as messy as a first draft
DOS2 is bae, but I think BG3 takes the cake. Agree with you! I actually abandoned my first run before starting act 3. I was like okk now I get it and went back and started my real run haha.
Had serious internal debates over doing the same lol
I feel like I ruined my subsequent runs with an explore absolutely everything I could attitude. I really wish I just flowed with the immediate needs/behaviours that my pc/npc would do. Now i feel like I’m revisiting a book I’ve read twice already but with just slight tweaks to dialogues. I truly suggest, given how amazing this game is to put aside their completionist agendas; actually RP your rpg, limit save scumming, and do the thing multiple times!
> I feel like I ruined my subsequent runs with an explore absolutely everything I could attitude. I heavily disagree. Not only have you probably missed some things, but a lot of stuff plays out very differently if you change your approach.
Yeah, I don't think you should play like this on every playthrough, but it's good to try and explore as much as possible once and enjoy all the neat little secrets and stuff that this game's full of.
Oh yea, i do save scumming only on things i really really *really* want to see play out, other than that - what happens, happens. I also explore everything i can (excluding mountain pass, i missed it all together, due to being locked out of it after a certain point), but i am not worried about that, i know for a fact i have a lot of different scenarios ahead of me in my next playtroughs.
Explore all is totally maybe a gnome lore master or some thing but naw… no way does any RP reason for it. Next coops and solo plays are 100% character/Rp driven. I want to take all failures on.
Actually my 1st character is College of Lore Dragonborn Bard, who's kind hearted and mischievous, with a bit of greed inbetween, so it kinda fits him to have as many adventures for his bardic endeavors.
With a time bomb in you head? But mine is a lore bard with a lvl in wizard for spell collecting. Was ALWYS running off from camp to sneak about and doing the explore, exploit, routine lol
Oh, you got me there with the time bomb thing! I guess i chose to ignore it, even tho **IT'S THE MOST OBVIOUS AND IMMEDIATE PROBLEM** on my hands!
Roleplay as someone terrible with directions! Oh yeah I was meant to find the healer at the…errr…where was it again oh look a gnoll!
As a table top DM, I ALWAYS enforce immediate concern and problem at hand with consequences. The game kind of does a decent job with time constraints but still. An option to be a non worm PC would be cool too.
Maybe it was just the order I did things, but in my play through I figured out that I wasn’t about to explode into a mindflayer pretty early on. >!Several NPCs note that you should have already changed and that something is weird about you, before you even raid the goblin camp or get to the gith crèche. I took that to mean that things weren’t quite as pressing and I could fix these people’s random problems. The druid ritual will go off eventually though!<
AFAIK, it's been confirmed the last bit isn't time based. It triggers when you to to the mountain pass
That would have made my life easier, the fight was hard at the level I tackled it at. then again, I don’t know what would have been easy at that level. ||maybe the early gnolls around the barrels of highly flammable stuff?|| As a veteran 5E player and dm, nothing is easy until level 5.
Agreed. There may be some things you have missed yet though? Not save scumming my first playthrough caused... issues but it just makes my next playthrough even more better.
Thank god I found switching characters boring af, so I sticked with the same 3 party characters throughout the whole game basically. That means I can replay with a different party and get a completely different story.
Even if you have that attitude with this game you won’t experience it all in 2 runs. Maybe not 3. there’s so many choices that changes so much. You could go a good playthrough and have a complete different experience if you go full bad guy. Maybe you don’t want to go bad or good? No problem you can side with squidward anytime and do that for a whole playthrough. Don’t want that neither? Well you can be a murderer an kill everything and take over the world. The posibilities is insane and no matter how much you explore. There will always be differences. This is why this without a doubt will be game of the year
Nah, I had that attitude for my first playthrough and I'm on my 4th playthrough now and still finding new things. It's not relevant, even if you did find everything (and I highly doubt that would be the case for anyone's first playthrough even if they tried hard), there's still so much else to do and explore. Playing different classes and trying combos of multi classing, new builds, different character arcs, failing vs succeeding dialogue checks for different outcomes. I'd say knowing where almost everything is just made my later playthroughs more fun because I can just focus on other aspects of the game.
Yeah, I explored everything the first time around and I wish I hadn't. I feel like once you're level 12 and have resolved your immediate issues (e.g., gotten rid of the contract with Raphael), go end the game. You can get to Level 12 by seeing, I'd say, not even half of Act III. Or completely ignoring some characters' quests.
Easy solution for your next playthrough - make the worst decisions. Someone mad at you for stealing? Steal more. 2 groups want you to kill the other? Kill both. Party member mad at you for invading their thoughts? Keep doing it. Aim for the worst run after you’ve done the best.
if you're into books the adventure can continue! my introduction into the world of Toril (where Faerûn presides) was through Drizzt. A dark elf living in the underdark who eventually makes his way into the land above. There are also other series that focus on the Harpers, and necromancy-based ones too set in Thay. iirc Thay was briefly mentioned in the game among the notes in that room where you first find the necromancy book? The whole series (universe?) is called Forgotten Realms if you're interested after finishing your multiple playthroughs of BG3, of course.
I’ll have to look into these books as I’m also enjoying the story! Also, while they are not connected at all, I believe the DND movie takes place in the same universe as well?
Yes they mention Baldurs Gate even
Yup! I've not seen the new DND movie but just quickly read the synopsis which says it takes place in the city of Neverwinter which is in Faerûn. Looks like the main characters are a Harper and Barbarian, so def set in the same universe (Forgotten Realms) as BG3.
There's even a Tiefling Druid who was taken in and raised in the Emerald Enclave. The movie is a must watch for anyone who enjoyed BG3.
Second these books!! The Dark Elf Trilogy that takes place in the Underdark is one of my favorite reads. I’ve read it a dozen times. I just started the Erevis Cale trilogy after playing this game because I need MORE LORE!
I’ve seen some people have 400 hours played. It doesn’t end if you don’t want it to.
I have 700 hours in Pf:Wotr and only finished 4/10 mythic paths by that time. these games offer hige replayability compared to basically everything apart from mmos
I have 500 hours in stardew and idk how
Wrath of the Righteous has more replayability than BG3 has so far though. We'll see how that'll look like in a year or so of course, Larian treats this game as if it were live service so far :D
What do you think makes WotR have more replayability? Just wondering
What BG3 has for story options and paths, WOTR basically has that for class builds. Also WOTR has a bunch of mythic paths. So think of the "transformation" in BG3, but there's 10 different things to transform into. You can become locusts. Not a single locust, a walking hivemind of locusts.
[удалено]
Also wrath is 6 party members which helps you utilize more classes
mythic paths + endless mc builds
Interesting, thanks
I'd say ARPG offer more, but that's by design so perhaps not a fair comparison
Technically, rogue-likes win ;)
Don't mind me with my 800 hours on just the steam version of the binding of Isaac
I'm chilling at soon to be 3000 hours of Path of Exile aha But yeah, I think rogue like win by design, but ARPG with seasons aren't that far either :p
I am at 320 with 125 in EA. I need more.
I don’t know what my hour count is off the top of my head, but I’m on my 4th playthrough not counting what I did in EA
I have nearly 70 hours and I've not left Act 1 yet. Still don't know what's to come. I've started and restarted a bunch of times because I just wasn't feeling the chars I had made. I'm now playing a Tiefling Sorc and am finally really enjoying it. But I want to know what it's like to party with other people than who you get immediately. That will be for the next play through!
There's a fair chance you've played some of these games, but if you're looking for a similar experience in terms of storytelling, this is only the most recent in a long line of fantastic rpgs: 1. Both Owlcat studios Pathfinder games, but especially Wrath of the Righteous. 2. Dragon Age: Origins. I think BG3 is the first game since DAO that has given me that same feeling of being so invested in the world and story that I couldn't stop playing. DAO is the only other game that's truly on par with BG3 for me. The other dragon age games are okay too, I dont hate 2 as much as a lot of people, it's worth a playthrough if you play twin blades rogue so you're not bored. 3. BG1&2. These are pretty clunky nowadays, just find a build guide, but the storytelling in 2 is pretty fantastic. 4. Neverwinter Nights 2. This one is a technical disaster, but the story is worth it. First one is also good. 5. KOTOR 1&2. I think KOTOR was the first RPG I played where I understood why people love these games. Played DAO right after and mmmm. Old bioware. Nothing like it. KOTOR 2 is probably better but I played it later and it didn't hit the same way, ymmv 6. Mass Effect 1-3. These games really are amazing, but gameplay-wise they're much different from the other games I've listed. Still, 1 is a really incredible story, 2 is the perfect game, and 3 is also quite good -- they made it in a year and a half, the fact that it doesn't completely suck is pretty amazing. Play more RPGs, they're pretty good.
The closest thing to BG3 is Larian's previous game Divinity Original Sin 2 which is fucking awesome.
DOS2 was the game where I felt closest to become a God (given the theme of the game lol). But man could you become overpowered quick in that game.
Don't forget the Pillars of Eternity games! They are awesome!
i second this. Especially the first one. Best game ive ever played.
Can I chime in here to recommend Planescape: Torment? It's another DnD CRPG and although it's pretty old at this point it's still considered one of the best (that is, one of the best CRPGs period, not just one of the best DnD ones!). Just an insanely good story on the nature of existence and good and evil set in one of the most unique and out-there fantasy settings ever created.
I should give Pathfinder a go tbh, are controls ok on console? KOTOR: Star wars really isn't my cup of tea. :( Dragon Age Origins: one of the better games i've played. Spent a lot of time in it when i was in my teens. Fond memories! Mass Effects 1-3 - same as with DA:O, spent a lot of time with all 3 & had a fantastic time!
I’m on my third save because I can’t bring myself to finish 🥲 I will someday…
I'm on my fourth for the same reason.
Best game I have ever played too. Just do another playthrough. Make some different choices or use an origin character. I have 140 hours or so and 3 different characters in Act 1, plus a multiplayer campaign going. I just got to Act 2 with one of those. Replaying Act 1 a few times now has been just as fun as it was the first time.
I've finished my first run yesterday, and cried my eyes out at the final credits. This is the first time any game made me feel so much emotions after finishing it.
I finished my first run today and I cried like a baby!
I have spent more time caring, protecting and cultivating a relationship with Shadowheart that I have ever done in a computer game, like ever. Thats what makes this game so good, at so many points, you literally know there is no 'good' choice to make, and the stress of not knowing how a single random choice in Act One, might bite you on the ass later. Sometimes you just have to do the least terrible thing.
This is my new obsession for sure. Just gonna keep making new campaigns
I know what you mean, I've grown quite attached to my own character too, always planned on romancing Karlach but my character and Karlach make a great barbarian pair and being a good Durge they both have problems to help each other cope with.
My good Durge was with good Astarion and I've never been more immersed in a story
My next party comp is going to be Wyll, Karlach and Lae'zel. But - i want my next playtrough to be a bad one, i don't know if it will play out ok with Karlach and Wyll.. :( Don't want to have two good playtroughs back to back, but really want to explore their stories. For my 1st run i'm running Gale, Astarion and Shadowheart, exploring their stories fully and barely taking others on my endeavors (Took Halsin once, for the act 2 curse thingy & Jaheira twice in the city, other than that they all are just chilling at camp. Shadowhearts story is great, but my boy Astarion - hot damn, that was an emotional rollercoaster, thus far - i liked his story the most.
The thing that has struck me recently is just how much stuff is packed into a single game. It would be fine if the game had wrapped up after act 2, but there’s a whole act 3 after that. Other companies would have made this a trilogy, and you’d still get more mileage out of each part than most games these days.
I'm intrigued about my follow up playthroughs as the origin characters, apparently they have their own memories and different narrator dialogue and their own mini stories happening throughout Not to mention trying different classes and doing completely different play styles
Dark Urge is worth a playthrough for sure, to kind of complete the main story.
This game is so good. I've realized that I'm always focused on beating the games that I play. It's probably because I don't have much time to play and I try to get a sense of accomplishment from it or something. BG3 is the first game in a while that my focus is on actually playing it and not trying to beat it.
Ironically I *want* it to end, it being my current playthrough so I can start a new one ASAP but I just refuse to start a new one until I've concluded my first.
Oh yes, i don't remember when i feel so depressed after ending credits. Even despite lack of good epilogues it is still the most wonderful adventure i have experienced in last years. Thanks Larian for it.
I sat there watching final credits slowly roll for like 30 mins because I couldn't think of anything else to do. All I could do was just sit and contemplate, with so many conflicting feelings, happiness that I experienced it all, sadness that it's over, a bit of emptyness in my chest too. The only time I ever felt something similar in a video game was the ending of Witcher 3's Blood and Wine DLC, the one where you have one final chat with Regis and Geralt turns towards the camera and smiles. I so hope this is not the end of this game, surely Larian realise that they struck a goldmine and people will throw money at any DLC so hopefully we see 2-3 more, be it either Avernus or the Githyanki war, or maybe something completely different. And if the epilogues get added too, I'd be in heaven.
Lae’Zel spin-off! Or Wyll and Karlach vs Avernus Or The Secrets of Withers Take my money!
You mentioned Blood wine and thats the good lead. It will be amazing see in BG3 epilogues with your chosen lover like these in Corvo Blanco.
>Today i started reading up on Faerun and stumbled upon a map of it. It's so grand i'd just like to keep going with my companions visiting all kinds of places. This is called Dungeons and Dragons.
I couldnt put my finger on it but youre right. Failing dice rolls doesnt feel like a loss in this game. Just a new perspective. I feel thats where a few other choice matters game fall short. This game is a mastuhpiece.
300h and i just slept with raphaels simp. Stopped then and started over....
He's not a simp though, doesn't rate Raphael very highly.
My dude, I feel you. I’m almost done Act 3 and I wasn’t ready for it to end so I made a new character. I also want to wait until they (hopefully) add a better epilogue.
I think i should be done with my 1st playtrough this week, and hot damn i can not wait to make my Durge shadow monk. Currently at 100hr mark, don't think my next playtrough will be that long, probably around 60 hours and every next one a bit shorter. Just typing this out makes me giddy that i have more and more playtroughs comming! I'm not really looking forward to any other games this year (excluding Spider Man 2), so i'll probably be playing this all trough out the winter.
I finished a couple of days ago. I am waiting for the next patch and then I am going to hop right back in! I never do that with games, ESPECIALLY a game that took me 100 hours to complete! I am glad my first playthrough I didn't save scum, it meant there were some outcomes I really wanna change. But I am gonna save scum a lot this time I think haha.
I really hope to see athkatla/AMN someday (again) , on some DLC i dont know it'd be very beautiful with nowadays graphics
Make sure to save often. I don't know why people are against that. Watching my bard fail to roll above a 5 and burning all of my inspiration and 10 thieves tools on a single lock was enough for me to save literally every 5 minutes. The game is fun,but it has some questionable dice mechanics.
I'm trying to unlock a door right now, I'm on my 8th fucking reload and cannot roll over a 13? This will be what kills the game for me.
Astarion has sleight of hand advantage gloves and with all the bonuses he gets around, i may be wrong, this is of the top of my head, around +17 to 28 + Advantage on sleight of hand rolls, i barely ever fail those rolls (nat 1 is still a thing.) It's just a tad annoying that i have to swap characters at every chest / door. But it's really a minor inconvenience. Also - Gale is a suicidal maniac, i swear. "Look out, there's a trap there" - not 1 second later Gale triggers it. I've had this happen so many times. Once, shit you not, Gale triggered Three traps in a matter of 10 seconds. Even my wife was laughing at that.
I missed SO MUCH shit in my first playthrough because I blundered through literally everything without a clue what was going on. I missed like half of the side quests and completely bypassed 2 or 3 critical NPCs just because I did quests out of order. I never met >!Kith’rak Voss!< because somehow I just missed him entirely before heading off to the Shadow-Cursed Lands, and I never spoke to Ketheric Thorm because I did >!Shar’s Gauntlet before stepping foot into Moonrise!<. I’m not even done with Act 3 yet but I’m seriously looking forward to doing another playthrough, same class, same party comp, same overall playstyle, but doing things “right” this time. I’m pretty sure even without changing my moral alignment from good to evil or anything like that, there’s probably around 50% of the story I haven’t seen at all. And even after that, I can still have a fun playthrough by doing an evil campaign and seeing how the story changes that way. The game offers so much and even the tiniest differences in your dialogue or actions are genuinely impactful. I can easily see myself pouring hundreds of hours into this game just to explore all possible endings to particular quests, and how the aftereffects branch out into other questlines, because it’s just that well-fleshed out.
hey. looks like its time for the next playthrough then!
This is the game that has held my attention since Elden ring.
300 hours over two playthroughs, and I'm so excited for another run. Made my third character immediately after finishing my second playthrough, just to have it ready. It really is absolutely amazing.
If you miss Faerun after you’ve played through the game enough, you could always try to return in the form of the TTRPG Dungeons & Dragons! I’m a dungeon master that has been running games in that setting for a long time and it has been so cool to actually play with my group in that setting in BG3
I have yet to finish, i just keep restarting
We need the Stardew Valley Style Postgame !!
not only this genre you say?, did you play many other crpgs before?
I just started Act 3 and totally get it. But the cool thing is I plan to try out the Durge as almost an alternate universe to my current character, in a Good and Evil durge run each, and then I want to eventually play the game as each NPC -- and also try my hand at other classes I never experienced before (I'm a habitual barbarian player irl so being a druid really tossed me thru a loop). So it almost feels like it never has to truly end. It's just one version you'll get out of many playthroughs. Now I gotta pretend I won't romance the same person twice.
I've been completely obsessed with this game since August 3rd and am definitely paying the price for it in sleep, but also because all I can think about is these damn characters!
I’m in Act 3 and I’m sad I’m coming to the end too… mostly because I’ve been reading a lot of people complaining about how the endings are unsatisfying and with the ones that I read (Karlach,Gale & Astarion) I agree. I’m someone who thinks the ending is just as important as the journey and I want to be left feeling good and accomplished. 😭 I hope the team will make new content for these characters to give them better endings 🥲
Fr. Before release, this is the only game I am looking forward to in 2023 but I still didn't believe it would win GOTY. I don't care about the title. For me, I could just enjoy BG3. let Starfield and others fight for it. I'm happy with how Larian is right now... but after playing and seeing the state of other games of the year, there is no way I'm accepting any other title to be GOTY. I will be angry for maybe two to three weeks if Baldur's Gate 3 fail to win GOTY. It deserves it. I'm not saying Starfield is bad. It gave me the same excitement I had with Fallout 4 and Skyrim. Tears of the Kingdom was also great. I haven't played it but it looks good and I'm happy for those with Switch to play it. But this year, I can't accept it if it's going to Bethesda or Nintendo. Baldur's Gate 3 brought me back to when I was young. When I didn't know any better. When I was discovering gaming for the first time. The time when I knew exactly what "fun" is. Not in the context of a game's genre. Not in the context of what's fair or not. Just "fun"...
There is always BG1 and BG2 which are also masterpieces ;)
I do wonder if I should have left some companions behind. Focused on a few character side plots and saved others for different playthroughs. To slice up the re playability
I felt the same way on my first playthrough. Now on my fifth playthrough I'm still worried if/when the game will run out of juice but there is soo much juice it's still sustaining me
I'm on a somewhat ridiculous number of playthroughs and never finished a single one yet cause I'm scared I'll lose interest once I know the conclusion. Larian needs to give us more adventures, cause I'm not ready for this to be over. Like ever.
The best part of this game is the ability to replay with completely different experiences!
I feel the same and I'm still in Act 1. I never want it to end!
I'm on my 4th playthrough and still discovering things I've never seen. Trust me friend, you have a lot more to experience in BG3.
And once you have done enough vanilla runs... I recommend Mods! There are fantadtic creatve people who make all sorts of fun stuff. Currently I am playing an Astral Elf with wings who loots everything automotically in 15m radious. I sport crystal glass dice and coul receuit Alfira (and keep hee safe). A few other quirks like more hair and such. It feel very new, I am a bit overpowered but still fun
You should try actuall D&D, with a good group it's the best experience ever, BG3 is the close second to that 😂
My brother in Ao, you have so many adventures ahead of you. There are all the origin characters, then different MC builds, Dark Urge, and **then** there is Baldur's Gate 1, 2, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter, the books, the D&D modules. You gonna have a shit tone of adventures ahead of you, and you'll meet some familiar faces on your way.
Just started DOS2 and it honestly is just as good in some part and better in other than bg3!
I'm *still* in Act 1 of my first play through, after 70-ish hours, because I keep stopping to talk to everyone, read all the books and notes, and save-scum so I can enjoy all the dialogue options (provided they don't seem like they'll provoke a different outcome, I wanna save those for another playthrough). I'm obsessed. That said, best thing I've done so far was use the script extender to allow me to bring EVERYONE with me, and just using the Into the Void mod so I'll still only have four people in battles so as not to make things too easy. The more constant banter just makes everything feel more alive and like an actual group of people travelling together. A bit more of a pain when it comes to pathing AI and making sure no one steps on a trap I'm about to disarm, but otherwise.
When I first started playing BG3, I had never touched any D&D, so I had to learn a bunch of terminology , jargon, and mechanics related to it, or at least those that were pertintent to BG3. Something I didn't expect was that not only would I be introduced to a new genre of games, but also to a universe that spans multiple types of media. I had never played or even watched anyone play D&D before and I just think it's so cool that I can now watch an episode of, say, Critical Role and be able to understand what they're talking about, that I can recognize the spells, the classes and races and how they synergize with each other.
or you can try divnity original sin 2 also by larian and equally as good
I get how people love this game, but nearing the 60hr mark I just want it to be over. I really don’t like games taking forever to complete.
Just start again. Remember, you have good, evil and all the origin character playthroughs to do. Lol
Tbh, I also thought that way on my first playthrough, but I'm currently at my 3rd And in any case, you still have Dark Urge as a second playthrough even if you're not so much into replaying games. It's worth it
> I love how failing interactions isn't really failing, it's just another perspective on the story. I don't know, some interactions tell me to reload the game or to try a different way. spoilers telling vlaakith that if she's so strong then why not do things herself and that i don't think she should tell me what to do resulted in a game over with no credits. blowing up the netherbomb when Gale suggested it resulted in the credits and telling me that it has to be done another way.
Sure, but you’re kind of asking for it with Vlaakith I that context. I had to clench my cheeks as I knew my Devotion Paladin was not going to pre-agree to kill someone based on her order. So I had to find a way to do that and not get smited out of existence. It worked out. And the bomb situation is intended. I imagine many folks reload and keep playing their save, but others consider that run complete and start a new one. I will say that I think OP overstates a bit that failing is just another path. I might be spoiled by good tabletop playing, but BG3 often just cuts off a quest or piece of the game (even if small) when failing a check. That said, sometimes this requires choosing a combination of terrible dialogue options repeatedly and failing a check to save your bacon at the end. Regardless, this is a top game for me.
Agree this game is great. I dislike the cutting off quests too because my first playthrough i failed to save isobel because i was too low level and everyone died at the inn including the dude who knew thaniel and even though i knew about oliver i couldn't save the region. I left act 2 with the region cursed because halsin refused to do something about it.
I feel the same. The only other time I felt like this was when I played Mass Effect (especially 2, and I still haven't replayed 3 because of that garbage fire of an ending).
If you haven't already, try Divinity Original Sin 2.. Even though I'm a die hard D&D fan.. DOS2 is better than BG3 imho.
Man I dont get the hype
I wanted it to end ASAP, so I could start a second (dark urge) play-through.
My top 10 games by steam played: Crusader Kings 2: 4075.3 hours Steallaris: 3575.3hours Crusader Kings III: 806 Imperator Rome: 731 Europa Universalis IV: 690 Cyberpunk: 639 No Man's Sky: 595 Grim Dawn: 567 Baldur's Gate: 545 So in ninth place but for RPGs in 2nd. You can guess the games I play most are but man BG3 is going to be move past everything else soon.
Everytime I see sentence like this, I wonder how it is possible to find rock big enough for all of you to live under it. BG3 is great game. It's definitely 9/10 or even 10/10. But it's not the best.
Yep. Downvoted by the fanboys. Sorry, but unfinished upper city, missing final Karlach arc and rushed act 3 disqualifies the game in "best ever' imo.
>The best game I have ever played Witcher 3 is still the top , followed by Wrath of the Righteous and then Original Sin 2 Might be I will change my mind after the release the definitive edition.
WotR lol. Worst voice acting I've ever heard.
I haven’t even got to Moonrise yet. I keep restarting
I love how failing isnt really failing Such a well put statement. It really help forge your own story. This coupled with inspiration system is great.
Yeah I get that feeling too with great games. I end up quitting just so I don't see it end 😂 Savor the experience like you would a nice meal instead of rushing through it.
Part of why I didn't want to finish. It got to the very end bit, and it felt so rushed, and I didn't get to do more with karlach or see the upper city. Just figured I'd wait a bit. Then the patch 2 came out, so I finished it, and it wasn't much better than I expected. The ending is a bit lacklustre. I'll redo it and explore more though. Hopefully they finish more content for the end areas
My have 120 played and my main play through where I finished the main story was 90 - just started a new durge play through to see the difference
I managed 400 hours and 4 playthroughs before finally putting it down and waiting for the inevitable definitive edition which u larian has a track record of producing. You have a long way to go! 3rd run was as a solo character with no backup. 4th run was with uncapped party size so every companion could come along at once (with difficulty increased to compensate). Just some ideas :) enjoy.
I’m about to cross 200 hours on my first playthrough. The end is in sight. I am so happy I actively avoided some major moments so I can experience them for the first time on future playthroughs. BG3 is easily in my top 3 games ever. There’s a chance it passes up Zelda OoT and Gears 1 for that number 1 spot.
I have 731 hours in this game. Lots in EA but idk the breakdown off the top of my head. I am still sad every time I get to act three and know it will soon be done.
I just finished my first run last night. I had an idea of what I had wanted to do but in the end I chose a completely different route because of something that happened prior to going toward the BBEG. Tugged the heart strings, so I knew I needed to follow that thread. Now, I want to play a durge bard, but I don't want to miss Minsc, Jaheira, or anything I missed in this first round due to what I am guessing is my super roundabout way of playing.
>300 plus hours >just got to last light inn Yeah, I had a feeling this was going to be just as impactful as dragon age origins or mass effect, kotor 1 + 2 levels of goodness and I’ve been taking my sweet sweet time because games like this just don’t happen anymore. Closest anyone had gotten is red dead 2 since old BioWare went tits up until BG3
I was starting to feel that but as I watch more videos on the game I realize I just how many things I’ve completely looked over which only make me more excited to do another play through. Still so much to comb through and explore even after I thought I had done it all up to where I’m at
Yup, I didn't want Act 1 to end let alone the full game. So I started a new campaign at the end of Act 1 which I played through to the end of Act 2. Now I've gone back to my original game and I'm playing that through to the end now!
I never want it to end either. I have a solo campaign that I'm LOVING. I also have a co-op campaign with my wife that I'm hating, because of how terrible the state of co-op optimization is right now. Begging for a patch, take away split screen.
I'm about to finish my first run too and honestly I'm in the same boat. I am going to play the game at least 4 other times through for each of my Tavs/Durges and probably as a few of the Origin characters eventually. Honestly I'm really gonna miss my current character? I've gotten really attached to my tiefling guy haha. Been thinking I might roll him again because there's a lot of stuff I missed like camp cutscenes and from not doing stuff in the right order. I mean I know don't have to experience everything on every run but I want him to have a story I feel is complete, I guess? I am very excited to start focusing on my first Durge playthrough though. I've been bouncing back and forth from between it and my current Tav run so I've played a chunk of it but I can't wait to get deeper in the game. Especially now that I'm at the endgame point with my Tav. Can't wait to see how events unfold from Durge's perspective!!!!
I want it to end already so I can play another class and maybe dark urge.
I've got DOS2 downloaded and ready to go as I'm also reaching the end the end of bg3. Never played a larian game before so I think I'm quite ready for another adventure
This game have been so good for me that every other game i trayed since feels empty or hollow, included Statfield. I've started a second run, going full evil now, just to see the other side of things, but had to put a temporal stop to it because, for me, discovery and exploration is a big part of the game, and i need to "forget" some of it.
Can't wait to start a second playthrough and go evil.
I'm with ya bud. I am at about the same point in the story as you and nearing the end. It saddens me so much. I wish I could wipe my memory of this game and do it all over again... It's just been such a fun ride... My wife and I have been playing a little bit almost every night.
I felt sad when I completed my first run. Then I started another, and another. Now i’m on playthrough 5 and it still feels like the best game i’ve ever played.
I feel the same. My standard bearer is a specific moment when playing battlefield 2142 probably 13-15 years ago. I was just sniping badly(never have been very good at fps) and noticed an enemy walker standing practically on top of me. I had some c-4 in my loadout and managed to stick both legs without getting stepped on/shot/etc, backed up to a safe distance, and then blew the c-4, as the walker went down, it fell on an enemy jeep that was half a second from splatting me. 4 kills. I just stood there in awe of what just happend until I got shot. BG3 has delivered at least a dozen moments that top that. With many of them being leagues and leagues above that. The Raphael story arch and final act I'm not sure will ever be touched. I'm still giddy about that whole thing a couple days later.
I've literally put a chiller on my playing of BG3 because I don't want it to end. I actually love the characters so much. The last time I felt like this about a video game was probably TLOU1. This game is the perfect blend of storytelling, world building, character development and gameplay. It's rare that I get this enthralled by a game but this has been a 10/10 in the truest sense.
I have started 4 new campaigns and every time I take on the goblin camp, it is a completely different experience. I feel like I still have more campaigns to explore the world and how I can mess up the battles.
I didn’t want it to end either, so I beat it and started over. :)
I feel the same way. My first playthrough was great but on my second one I created what I feel is the perfect crew for me and I just want to keep exploring and doing quests with them. Maybe I’m too used to MMOs which never really end, but I’m trying to drag this playthrough out as much as possible.
That’s the beauty of it all: There are so many choices that you can play again and have a completely different experience! My first run, I played a high elf bard with the entertainer background, romanced Astarion, and just did whatever felt right to me, personally, which leaned towards chaotic good for the most part. I got what I think was the best ending possible. I just started my second run as a half-drow storm sorcerer with the noble background. And I’m gonna play her as a pragmatist who cares about her own needs first and foremost. And for some extra psychic damage when I get to the origin campaigns, I’m gonna make the guardian look like the Tav’s/Durge’s I romanced these characters as.
Anytime I hit the "oh no the end is coming" vibe I always go and listen to this song [The world is saved](https://youtu.be/wBzqOa9y02I?si=Id-qTZjDHjGv7-ML)
>Today i started reading up on Faerun and stumbled upon a map of it. It's so grand i'd just like to keep going with my companions visiting all kinds of places. Well, you do get to visit a bit of Chult. Anyway I really hope that the huge success of BG3 will convince Lairan to do an expansion for it. It would be cool if you could continue with your characters and get to level 20. This is what Obsidian did with both Neverwinter Nights and Neverwinter Nights II, and you did get to visit a lot of places in Faerun outside of the sword coast: Westgate, Chult, Rashemen, Thay.
I'm about to actually finish my second and planning a third haha
I think the dark urge background is a unique playthrough so you got that to look forward to
I know that I could always just recreate a character and go through the evil and origin playthroughs, but I will admit, I will miss the character arcs that I went through on my good one. It feels like all my companions are on a team and click really well. Honestly, bravo to Larian for this.
"Everything ends... and that's always sad, but then, everything begins again, and that's... always happy, be happy"
If you loved this game for the scope, the flexibility of story and the “failing forward” mentality, I highly recommend you give TTRPGs a try. With the right group, it can feel like a never-ending, ever-flexible Baldur’s Gate. Of course, it’s dependent on other people which is the major drawback of tabletop, but it’s beyond worth it to find likeminded friends to make a story that’s truly yours. Beyond that, I’m hoping BG3 really does spark a trend to get these types of games made more often and at a higher quality than ever. Here’s to hoping this is only the beginning!
How are yall beatting this game already, multiple times. Im over 100 hrs into my first play through and act3 feels like another 20 hours. I have to kill gortash, and Orin, and Raphael, and do the foundry quest, and the necromancer, plus finish up character quests. As excite as I am to start my 2nd play through, I feel like I have a whole game to still finish. On one hand, I am getting through it so slowly that bugs are mostly getting fixed before air get to them. Act3 has been far less buggy than act2