D&D General BG3 and 5E Theories. Top 10.

Zardnaar

Legend
Not at Tactician/Honor Mode difficulties. It's useful in Act 2 where you get swarmed by mooks a lot and radiant damage is essential to turn off wraith and shadow invisibility. But otherwise it's too slow-acting for a concentration spell that requires the caster to be in harm's way.

I generally want my combat spells to a) deny actions to the enemy, b) inflict a lot of damage in one blast, c) create a kill zone at long range, d) buff the party's offense, or e) remove obstacles stopping us from killing the enemy.

Tge spell is nerfed over 5E. You don't pick it because of the damage though.

You take it to combo with tge luminous equipment set and Reverberation items.

You wander around kinda blasting everything 10 stacks of Reverberation that triggers more damage off the helmet.

You can solo the cazador fight for example. On honor mode.

You can solo most fights tbh. A few exceptions are ones that knock you prone or spellcaster/range heavy.

 
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FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog
Tge spell is nerfed over 5E. You don't pick it because of tge damage though.

You take it to combo with tge luminous equipment set and Reverberation items.

You wander around kinda blasting everything 10 stacks of Reverberation that triggers more damage off the helmet.

You can solo the cazador fight for example. On honor mode.

You can solo most fights tbh. A few exceptions are ones that knock you prone or spellcaster/range heavy.

tge?
 


FrogReaver

As long as i get to be the frog
Not at Tactician/Honor Mode difficulties. It's useful in Act 2 where you get swarmed by mooks a lot and radiant damage is essential to turn off wraith and shadow invisibility. But otherwise it's too slow-acting for a concentration spell that requires the caster to be in harm's way.

I generally want my combat spells to a) deny actions to the enemy, b) inflict a lot of damage in one blast, c) create a kill zone at long range, d) buff the party's offense, or e) remove obstacles stopping us from killing the enemy.
So I used to use Spirit Guardians ineffectively Solasta. I'd have the Cleric go forward maybe with a defensive buff on him and chase down enemies. He'd at most get 1-2 in the zone at a time and they would almost immediately disperse.

I changed tactics and kept my whole party engulfed in it and suddenly it was racking up so much damage so fast as melee only enemies had no choice but to enter it. I didn't think Spirit Guardians was very good either till I did that.

For me its been so much better than a fireball that would typically only hit 2-3 or maybe 4 enemies. (Evocation Wizard might could change that by dropping a fireball on top of the party).

Maybe battles are setup significantly different in BG3? Maybe alot less melee only enemies or alot more fireball formations?
 

Zardnaar

Legend
So I used to use Spirit Guardians ineffectively Solasta. I'd have the Cleric go forward maybe with a defensive buff on him and chase down enemies. He'd at most get 1-2 in the zone at a time and they would almost immediately disperse.

I changed tactics and kept my whole party engulfed in it and suddenly it was racking up so much damage so fast as melee only enemies had no choice but to enter it. I didn't think Spirit Guardians was very good either till I did that.

For me its been so much better than a fireball that would typically only hit 2-3 or maybe 4 enemies. (Evocation Wizard might could change that by dropping a fireball on top of the party).

Maybe battles are setup significantly different in BG3? Maybe alot less melee only enemies or alot more fireball formations?

Fireball os often difficult to use. Either you have to set it up, hit 2 maybe 3 or use an invocation wizard.

When it works though. I've been testing glyph of warding into water. It's turns ice or lightning into double damage AoE.

Healing Cleric can do mediocre damage or set up massive strike from whoever.
 

Dausuul

Legend
So I used to use Spirit Guardians ineffectively Solasta. I'd have the Cleric go forward maybe with a defensive buff on him and chase down enemies. He'd at most get 1-2 in the zone at a time and they would almost immediately disperse.

I changed tactics and kept my whole party engulfed in it and suddenly it was racking up so much damage so fast as melee only enemies had no choice but to enter it. I didn't think Spirit Guardians was very good either till I did that.

For me its been so much better than a fireball that would typically only hit 2-3 or maybe 4 enemies. (Evocation Wizard might could change that by dropping a fireball on top of the party).

Maybe battles are setup significantly different in BG3? Maybe alot less melee only enemies or alot more fireball formations?
SG works great on Balanced difficulty. The problem is that in higher difficulties, the monsters are substantially tougher and get higher save bonuses, and SG doesn't just knock them right down any more. Your cleric will have their concentration disrupted (monsters are smart enough to focus-fire concentrating casters) before they get more than a couple pulses off. Moreover, many enemies have a ranged attack option, and they will use it rather than enter a hazardous area.

Spells that inflict damage over time require you to both protect the caster (so they don't lose concentration) and channel the enemy into a kill zone that constrains their ability to reach you; ideally a corridor or doorway with walls that block arrows and limit how many melee warriors can engage your party. SG fails both requirements. The caster has to stand right up front, and the kill zone's effectiveness depends on you being surrounded.

Even Fireball is only so-so in Tactician. The most effective instant damage spells are generally lightning and cold, because you can throw or conjure water to inflict vulnerability to those elements. But mostly, if you want to deal damage, you bring somebody with spiky metal objects (or fists that do a good impression of same) and a bad attitude. Then you cast Hold Person/Monster, duck behind a rock, and watch the people with spiky things lay down the auto-crits.
 

Zardnaar

Legend
SG works great on Balanced difficulty. The problem is that in higher difficulties, the monsters are substantially tougher and get higher save bonuses, and SG doesn't just knock them right down any more. Your cleric will have their concentration disrupted (monsters are smart enough to focus-fire concentrating casters) before they get more than a couple pulses off. Moreover, many enemies have a ranged attack option, and they will use it rather than enter a hazardous area.

Spells that inflict damage over time require you to both protect the caster (so they don't lose concentration) and channel the enemy into a kill zone that hinders their ability to reach you; typically a corridor or doorway with walls that block arrows and limit how many melee warriors can engage your party. SG fails both requirements. The caster has to stand right up front, and the kill zone's effectiveness depends on you being surrounded.

Even Fireball is only so-so in Tactician. The most effective instant damage spells are generally lightning and cold, because you can throw or conjure water to inflict vulnerability to those elements. But mostly, if you want to deal damage, you bring somebody with spiky metal objects (or fists that do a good impression of same) and a bad attitude. Then you cast Hold Person/Monster, duck behind a rock, and watch the people with spiky things lay down the auto-crits.

Your spellcasters also have to deal with counterspells.
. There's ways to abuse SG and concentration. Basically proficiency in con saves, advantage and warding bond.
 

Everyone should play barbarian. Most well-rounded class.

1. Locked door? Hit it with your axe.
2. Need an attack spell? Throw axes.
3. Crowd control? Throw bad guy at other bad guys.
4. Conversation? ROAR.
5. Melee? Hit it hard with your axe.

See? Best all-around class!
 

Zardnaar

Legend
Everyone should play barbarian. Most well-rounded class.

1. Locked door? Hit it with your axe.
2. Need an attack spell? Throw axes.
3. Crowd control? Throw bad guy at other bad guys.
4. Conversation? ROAR.
5. Melee? Hit it hard with your axe.

See? Best all-around class!

That's not how you spell sword bard.
 


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