Baldur's Gate

Note to self,get good at modding so you can make a planescape mod

x4 If you’re asking if it progressively takes more EXP to reach higher levels in 5e, the answer is yes, but that’s ubiquitous in all editions of the game. 3e and beyond got rid of that annoying “different amounts of XP needed to level up based on class” that 2e and 1e had so it’s not nearly as bad.

The DMs I have use milestone level up mostly so EXP has never been much of a worry for me but I digress

Edited by ILikeRobots on Jun 12th 2019 at 10:06:58 AM

Yes, definitely, please do.

It should be Sigil!

Seriously, Plansescape was awesome! We need more Planescape!

The amount of XP needed to level went down in 5e compared to 2e. For example a fighter needed 2000 xp in 2e to get to level 2. In 5e 300 xp is all thats needed to get to level 2. Level 1 and 2 are only expected to last a single session, after that it slows down a fair amount, but not as much as it did in 2e.

Probably a good thing, so you spend less time at risk of dying to lone kobolds or feral cats.

Edited by ArsThaumaturgis on Jun 12th 2019 at 9:46:26 PM

If it's anything like most other Infinity Engine games, the amount of XP you get in later chapters ramps up a lot.

• Completes random side quest

• 2 million XP!

Edited by deludedmusings on Jun 12th 2019 at 9:44:00 PM

In Baldur's Gate II, at least, I recall that it didn't really feel to me like the XP increased enough. The numbers may have been high (I assume; it's been long enough that I don't remember this with clarity), but the level-up values increased to such a degree that it still felt like a long time between levels.

I don't think that I had as much trouble with Planescape: Torment, however, now that I think about it.

(Although I wasn't a fan of the combat in that game. I'm honestly not sure of how it differed from Baldur's Gate II, but I seem to think that I had more fun with the combat in Baldur's Gate, but loved Planescape in spite of its combat.)

I imported my character from BG1, so I don't know if it's different, but I feel like BG2 falls squarely into the mire of mid-level D&D. Everything has magic resistance (except you), there are illithids that make your brain explode whether you have armor or not... most of the time I was playing BG2 involved me springing my biggest spells on groups of enemies from just behind the fog of war, then running away and resting to do it again because there was no way to take anything in a fair fight.

Oh I remember that strategy. Or dropping the huge aoe necromantic spell and then closing the door.

I'm also reminded that one of the most popular mods at the time was still one that made the game harder. Will never understand that.

Edited by deludedmusings on Jun 13th 2019 at 12:05:55 AM

The Ascension mod for Throne of Bhaal? That one's still around and still very popular. I use it occasionally, not for the difficulty (which is beyond insane) but because it gives an extra RP option I really like.

Torment's combat is a bit slower, and the screen is zoomed in a bit closer so it all feels a bit smaller, and there's less variety in the combat — either you kill everything instantly with a spell or magic item or you poke away at it for three minutes. But like you said, you like that game in spite of the combat. Because most of the combat is optional anyway, and magic items and spells are easy to come by. Basically you just play it like it's an adventure game instead of a CRPG and everything's fine.

I mean, I did still ultimately prefer that to the repetitive nature of wizard duels in BG 2. They cast every buff, you cast every buff, you slowly peel away all their buffs while your rogues and fighters stand around until they can finally do something... Not my favourite. But there are other fights I do like. Dragons. Big waves of enemies that used to be intimidating in the first game. And there's something oddly satisfying about slaying vampires with actual wooden stake items.

Edited by Unsung on Jun 12th 2019 at 8:20:24 AM

Yeah, the Yaga-Shura army fight would mess up my computer. And that final boss fight was just a whole steaming pile of unfair bullshit.

Yeah, Ascension I loved for the RP options but it absolutely destroyed my computer at the time.

Eeeurgh, I detest spell-resistance! >_<

It's thoroughly annoying to play a mage—as I usually do—and to be confronted with an enemy that effectively leaves you with no way of taking part in the fight, short of attempting the tedious process of stripping its defences...

I do seem to recall from either Baldur's Gate I or II that I absolutely loved the Cloudkill spell. I remember that it was very likely to affect things, had a large area of effect, and did pretty good damage. ^_^

As to spells, I am always a little annoyed that the best spell is only available at the eleventh hour, giving you little time to enjoy it. :/

Edited by ArsThaumaturgis on Jun 13th 2019 at 6:10:57 PM

I wonder if they'll recycle the undead race in Baldur's Gate 3 so you can play as an undead,I mean its right there along with Dwarfs,humans,elves..

The undead race from D:OS2? AFAIK, D&D doesn't have anything quite like that. It does have templates you can apply to create vampires, liches, etc., but it's not normally something you choose when starting out, more like something you can acquire along the way.

Like a status effect yeah I've heard of that,playing as a vampire could be fun,even more so if they keep Day and Night cycles and you have time your movements so you don't instantly get fried

In the enhanced edition of BG2 you can recruit a vampire companion. I've never brought her along, though, so I don't know if the daylight thing comes up.

Hexxat, yeah. Being in direct sunlight causes her to take rapid damage, but she has a cloak she can wear during the day which reduces her stats by a massive amount, but since her stats are so high as a vampire, it basically just brings her in line with the rest of the party.

Edited by Unsung on Jun 13th 2019 at 5:53:53 AM

On a comparison between 5e and 2e. In 2e the Xp you need doubles each level. So to reach level 10 as a fighter you need 500,000 xp. In 5e 355,000 is what is needed to reach level 20, and level 10 requires 64,000.

Edited by Envyus on Jun 13th 2019 at 5:25:15 AM

Intelligent undead are Serious Business in D&D. I was in a semi-high level party that nearly got wiped out by a few shadows. Any undead you meet at mook level are probably just mindless minions.

Yeah, no DND book I’ve read supports an undead player. Dhampirs are a playable race in Kobold Press’s Midgard setting but otherwise, eh.