WotC World Reveal of Baldur's Gate 3

At PAX East today, gameplay footage of Baldur's Gate 3 was revealed for the first time by Larian Studios.

According to PC Gamer, the Early Access version of the game will launch this year with five characters:

• Wyll, Human Warlock
• Shadowheart, Half-elf Cleric
• Lae'zel, Githyanki Fighter
• Gale, Human Wizard
• Astarion, Elven Vampire Spawn Rogue

And you'll be able to create characters using these six classes:

• Fighter (Battle Master, Eldritch Knight)
• Wizard (Evocation, Abjuration)
• Rogue (Arcane Trickster, Thief)
• Ranger (Hunter, Beast Master)
• Cleric (Life, Light, Trickery)
• Warlock (Fiend, Great One)

15 races include (amongst others):

• Elves
• Dwarves
• Humans
• Githyanki
• Drow
• Tieflings
• Vampire Spawn

 

[Azzy]

If a DM doesn't do that are they a bad DM?

Yes, that's totally what they said.

 

[gyor]

There will be 15 races at launch, and they only had 9 in the demo. I'm sure we'll get the three remaining PHB races - gnomes, half-orcs, and dragonborn - and three more from other sources. Aasimar, firbolg, and tabaxi? Kenku would be hard to pull off with the whole "no talking, only repeating" thing, although it would be impressive if they did!

Its 15 races and subraces at early access, not launch, the launch comes after early access.

I suspect

That's the problem with DOS2 - if I'm playing a PC, I want it to have my origin story, not the developer's vision for that particular character that gets lost in translation if I change the race or class... For companions, no problem. For the main PC I want to be in control of every aspect.

As to Wasteland 2, I agree that the companions were great - but you had 4 PCs that you create how you see fit. The challenge there is the same challenge in BG2 and in the Pillars of Eternity games - juggling who is in the party at any one time to go through any companion quests, or making sure you have the right mix to open up different dialogue or skill options. I didn't really get that sense in DOS2 - I always felt like I needed to permanently pick and choose which companions not expecting to be able to go back and get the others later.

What would I would really love in future CRPGs is to take the same tack as old-school OD&D - the party often consisted of 10 or more PCs and NPCs - a mix of henchmen and hirelings - and modify the number of opponents or level of challenge to match. That way you could choose to either keep adding party members, or juggle them. Nothing more frustrating, for example, in keeping the party imbalanced in order to complete a companion quest.

BG3 has a camp function where you can go and pick your Companions and Followers.

 

[Beleriphon]

BG3 has a camp function where you can go and pick your Companions and Followers.

So does PoE and its sequel. You can swap out your crew whenever you want. Heck, its a pretty standard part of most CRPGs with any substantial cast of characters. If anything BG and BG2 did it the wonky way where your companions got left where you left them, mind you I'd usually just take the ones I don't want after collecting them and leave them someplace centrally located to mill about weirdly scaring the locals.

 

[MarkB]

So does PoE and its sequel. You can swap out your crew whenever you want. Heck, its a pretty standard part of most CRPGs with any substantial cast of characters. If anything BG and BG2 did it the wonky way where your companions got left where you left them, mind you I'd usually just take the ones I don't want after collecting them and leave them someplace centrally located to mill about weirdly scaring the locals.

As I recall, it took until the expansion pack for the sequel for them to solve that one for BG, when you got your extradimensional sanctum.

Dragon Age Origins is the earliest example I can think of which uses the 'camp' mechanic for party member management, and did it very well, including character interactions and useful NPCs such as a trader. It sounds like BG3 will be aiming to include a lot of that.

 

[3catcircus]

As I recall, it took until the expansion pack for the sequel for them to solve that one for BG, when you got your extradimensional sanctum.

Dragon Age Origins is the earliest example I can think of which uses the 'camp' mechanic for party member management, and did it very well, including character interactions and useful NPCs such as a trader. It sounds like BG3 will be aiming to include a lot of that.

I don't want a camp mechanic. I want the ability to have as large a party as I desire with the game scaling the challenge to fit.

A 10 - 20 person party consisting of PCs/companions, henchman, hirelings and a mule train was not uncommon in OD&D or 1e AD&D.

 

[MarkB]

I don't want a camp mechanic. I want the ability to have as large a party as I desire with the game scaling the challenge to fit.

A 10 - 20 person party consisting of PCs/companions, henchman, hirelings and a mule train was not uncommon in OD&D or 1e AD&D.

There are games designed to handle groups that large. Tactics Ogre comes to mind. But anything at that scale is unwieldy to handle. There are good reasons why such things are not common in later D&D editions.

 

[Mournblade94]

HEY! Spoiler alert!

Stay away from that news about that Anakin Kid on Tatooine.

 

[Oofta]

Stay away from that news about that Anakin Kid on Tatooine.

Wait, the kid didn't crash his podracer or something did he? He was so excited that he was going to be a Jedi!

 

[3catcircus]

There are games designed to handle groups that large. Tactics Ogre comes to mind. But anything at that scale is unwieldy to handle. There are good reasons why such things are not common in later D&D editions.

Not necessarily. The average number of PCs was around 4-6 and their henchmen, with the rest being combat support (bearer/porters, teamsters, physicians, bards, jesters, etc.) - so really only about 12 PCs/NPCs of concern - and not all of the available henchmen usually traveled as part of the entourage. The role of the henchmen was primarily to have a character to play when your PC kacked it.

 

[MarkB]

Not necessarily. The average number of PCs was around 4-6 and their henchmen, with the rest being combat support (bearer/porters, teamsters, physicians, bards, jesters, etc.) - so really only about 12 PCs/NPCs of concern - and not all of the available henchmen usually traveled as part of the entourage. The role of the henchmen was primarily to have a character to play when your PC kacked it.

Which isn't a concern in a game where one person is playing all the characters.