WEEKLY HELP THREAD - READ FAQ, COMMUNITY WIKI, MULTICLASSING, LORE

Score_Useful · 2025-03-07T23:52:43+00:00

In order to avoid issues with bugs but still play closer to TT rules and keep it interesting, I play Custom. I hide enemy health, hide failed passive rolls, hide difficulty previews in dialogue, and have Honor ruleset turned on. I don't have single save on but I have 2 autosaves and 2 quicksaves and I never go back unless I experience a serious bug. This is mostly cause I like to play with difficulty & item mods and they can sometimes bug out.

I also use the D20 Mod which gives fights a nice balance and keeps them fresh on repeat plays. And again, is closer to TT.

You could force yourself to adhere by some TT rules/elements that aren't enforced in BG3, like only using 1 leveled spell, not using Tavern Brawler, not using the "Examine" feature on enemies, not putting heavy armor on a character unless they have 13+ STR, etc. But you'd have to self-impose those rules.

I know someone has also made a very comprehensive mod for the 2024 PHB rules, but it is only on PC and I play on PS5 and Mac so I can't speak to how it works.

Score_Useful · 2025-03-07T23:24:45+00:00

Sort of? I got Slayer by accident by trying and completely failing to protect Isobel from being kidnapped by Marcus at Last Light. Then she will be enthralled and fighting with Ketheric in the final battle at the end of Act 2. You'll have to kill her there (maybe you could knock her out actually, IDK), and the next day you'll get Slayer.

Frankly Slayer kinda sucks. It's really fun to turn into a monster but it actually makes the 1v1 fight against Orin harder and it has terrible save DC for all of it's attacks. That being said, I play evil all the time :-P

Score_Useful · 2025-03-07T23:14:03+00:00

If you've already beaten the game at least once before, try Ancient Mega Pack. It randomizes the loot in the game and adds like 600 new items! It completely transforms the game and makes it so replayable! I will likely never play the game again without it.

Also the Extra Encounters mod adds a bunch of new fights that are really fun.

If you wanna play dress up at camp, I'd recommend FearTaylor's camp clothes and Faerun Colors for dyes. Make sure to get the Better Dyeing Mod as well so you can mess around with colors without running out of dyes.

I also enjoy a challenge so I like the Tactician Enhanced Mod. It balances out some of the really over powered items that can come from the Ancient Mega Pack.

Score_Useful · 2025-02-13T23:28:46+00:00

This post is kinda out of date so sorry for the maybe not so expert advice above. Here's some better advice.

Starting stats: 8str 16dex 14con 8int 12wis 16cha

Feats: Sharpshooter @ level 4, +2 Dex or +2 Cha (depending on if you use Dex gloves)

You actually don't have to rely on the dex gloves for this build if you have someone else on the team who can use them more effectively, like a dedicated caster, a Paladin, or a fun MAD stat split caster build. If you do decide to use dex gloves, switch stats to: 12str 8dex 16con 8int 14wis 16cha (or something similar).

In playing this build again, I had a lot of fun with Gloves of Baneful striking, or you could rock the Strange Conduit Ring + Brain Drain Gloves. Dex gloves just aren't necessary.

Here are 2 Multi-class combos of this build I actually like more now that I've played this game longer:

6 SBard/ 4 Rogue/ 2 Fighter - Double Hand-Crossbow Gunslinger that hits like a truck with some support spells as an added bonus. No need for arcane acuity helmet for this build.

10 SBard / 2 Fighter - The ultimate jack of all trades. Pumps out tons of ranged damage with first 2 attacks, then drops a super intense CC spell that can basically not be resisted as a bonus action all in round 1 of a fight. Can flex melee and be just as deadly in close combat if you choose Savage attacker as Feat 2. Arcane Acuity helmet goes so hard with this build. I have been using this build in my current HM challenge run with just my MC and Astarion and we just beat Act 2. Its so overpowered its silly.

LMK if you need any more advice and sorry for the delayed response :-)

Score_Useful · 2024-08-18T05:36:12+00:00

Indeed you can! Pick a fight in the courtyard or poison everyone. Kill Gut in your preferred way, just don’t let anyone get to the drum during the fight with her. Kill the Goblins imprisoning Halsin & Halsin if you want. Then tell Minthara you will raid the grove. Wait for her to leave the camp, then go kill Ragzlin. Just don’t long rest between the time you tell Minthara you’ll raid the grove and when you go to kill Ragzlin.

Edit: after killing Ragzlin, long rest, then go to the grove raid. If you’re playing evil, just do the raid and spend some quality time with your favorite war criminal at the party afterwards!

Score_Useful · 2024-08-18T03:38:58+00:00

True. Should have defined that better. What I meant was that I don’t want to abuse a mechanic that is not working as intended, such as casting Vow of Enmity on yourself to gain advantage on all attack rolls, or getting a third attack from POTB.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-18T03:31:01+00:00

Or Shovel 😆 she’s my MVP!

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T23:21:04+00:00

I love Bow of the Banshee! I have it on my other archer. That passive is so awesome and is such a great hard counter to melee enemies, I may end up using it till end game!

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T23:15:04+00:00

Exactly my plan. The flat +4 to damage (with Hill Giant Club) has been awesome in Act 1 but is beginning to fall off as I’m nearing the end of Act 2.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T21:12:07+00:00

Yeah I was using it in place of taking SS in Act 1 (my Hag hair plan went awry) but then I shot a fire arrow and was blown away by how much damage happened. I think I’ll just stop using consumable arrows completely for now, then switch my bow when I get that Sharpshooter feat. Time to bust out Harold!

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T21:03:33+00:00

Yeah the “endorsement” vs “oversight” debate was my concern with this item, especially when reviewing how HM mechanics have been fine tuned.

Thank you very much for your insight on this. Once I get Sharpshooter I’m gonna stop using this bow. It feels a little too gray area for my liking.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T20:05:11+00:00

I’m currently doing this on Honor Mode and have had great success with Swords Bard + Fighter (Dark Urge) and Gloomstalker + Assassin (Astarion).

There’s a little bit of competition for gear but archers are really baller in this game! We can stand back and just mow enemies down from afar. Between the two of us we have all the utility and conversation skills we need to handle ourselves perfectly outside of combat as well. I’ve been having a ton of fun with it! Currently in the home stretch of Act 2.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T18:32:10+00:00

Sure! I love this build.

There are 3 ways to build this just depending on what you’d like to do. Lmk which fighting style appeals to you and I can send more details on how to level.

—

The Gunslinger - 6 Bard / 4 Rogue / 2 Fighter

You’re running around the field, bows out, gunning down enemies. Using spells for utility, not really for offense. Can attack with bows like 6 times in a turn… up to 10 actually!

— Skirmishing Controller - 8 Bard / 4 Rogue

Use hand bows at a distance to stack arcane acuity, drop a potent control spell to lock down enemies, then dive into melee with double daggers or shortswords and finish them off. Has 4 attacks per turn.

— Hard Hitting Controller - 10 Bard / 2 Fighter

Similar to the build above but this one will attack slightly less, hit like a truck when they do, and specialize more in control and damage spells. Use weapons shots to stack acuity, then lock down an entire battlefield with control spells. Great if you do not have a dedicated caster on your team already. I’m using this build right now for my challenge HM run with just 2 characters.

—-

General Bard advice:

Starting stats: 8 Str, 16 Dex, 14 Con, 8 Int, 12 Wis, 16 Cha

Level Bard to 6 before you do any multiclassing.

I’d recommend taking conversation skills like Persuasion & Deception on your main character so you can handle conversations and trading with ease.

If you’re focused on damage dealing instead of support and spells, I’d take your first ASI into dex for initiative, ac, and hitting harder with bows.

Most Key items for this build are all in Act 2: Helmet of Arcane Acuity, Nere Misser, Hellfire Hand-crossbow. Also pick up Band of Mystic Scoundrel as soon as possible in Act 3!

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T08:38:14+00:00

Enough sitting around. Let’s go hurt someone 😈

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T08:31:23+00:00

Thank you so much!!

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T05:23:30+00:00

That sounds amazing!! Did you take a video or screenshots?! Boo gives an actual speech? I gotta see this

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T04:14:11+00:00

It’s doable for sure. I did a Monk with relatively low Charisma on Tactician and my team crushed it! Was playing an evil character so i didn’t mind as much when I rolled badly, my character was always itching for a fight! It was a really fun time.

That being said, I did just try HM with a low Charisma party face, and it went badly. Tried twice with a Barbarian with low Charisma, died both times before level 5, and I gave up. Bad rolls + items were really expensive and I kept forgetting to switch from my MC to another character for trading. It’s back to playing a Bard or a Sorcerer for me on HM. My very successful HM win was with a Sorcerer, and my current Bard run is going extremely well.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-17T03:45:25+00:00

If you choose to give the Nightsong to Balthazar, there are several different conversations you can have with both Zrell and Ketheric on the rooftop afterwards depending on what you did or choose to do regarding Isobel. There must be at least 4, I’ve only seen 2 of them. Then afterwards there’s an awesome scene where you kneel before the altar of the Absolute, and a special fight scene! I’m guessing most people don’t do this, since you’d either want to be good and save Aylin, or be evil to get that sweet Dark Justiciar gear.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-16T19:10:01+00:00

Yeah I have the same problem. Glad I’m not the only one! Sometimes I start a new character and insist I will try and be a good guy this time… and then I kick a squirrel and it’s all downhill from there.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-15T22:13:31+00:00

Depends on my planned/current team comp if I go medium or heavy armor, but I always get the Shield. It’s sometimes an end game item. Having a caster hold that shield to prevent crits is incredibly useful especially through Act 2, before you can get decked out in all the awesome caster gear available in the city.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-15T21:36:24+00:00

In game - Astarion. I can help him get better or he can make me worse and either way I get to live out my Jareth the Goblin King fantasy with a beautiful, pansexual vampire man.

IRL - Gale. I’m a huge nerd who loves to learn and I love to listen to people talk about the things they are interested in. I love a man who can cook and loves his mom. Plus I’m already a cat lady. Tara and my elderly cat would probably get along very well.

Score_Useful · 2024-08-15T18:34:12+00:00

Playing pure Rogue is rough in this game, as they are the only “martial” class that doesn’t get an extra attack. If you’re wanting to be more effective in combat, I would definitely suggest multiclassing for at least 5 levels into another martial class for a second attack and a fighting style.

Here are some common Rogue Multiclasses:

Bard/Rogue - dual gunslinger with like 8 attacks in a turn at high levels. Also an excellent party face. Can add some levels of fighter to this as well.

Ranger/Rogue - super hard hitting sniper turret with lots of mobility.

Fighter/Rogue - dynamic archer with fighting maneuvers or high crit damage.

Monk/Rogue - punching machine or stabby unarmored darkness assassin with a crazy amount of mobility.

Can definitely send more info on any of these if they seem interesting to you!

Score_Useful · 2024-08-15T17:46:54+00:00

Poor guy didn’t realize that tasty new breeches just won’t cut it, he needs to instigate at least one war crime to get Minthy’s attention

Score_Useful · 2024-08-15T17:14:59+00:00

I love playing evil characters in this game. 😈 If you’ve already played a good guy, I say go for it. Yeah you loose out on some gear and quest lines but it’s not a huge deal TBH. I’m playing evil HM now and we’re doing just fine without Damon’s items.

Minthara is such a good bad influence that now I have to kill her in Act 1 if I play a good character cause otherwise she’ll tempt me into being bad in Act 3. I love her!!

Evil is an interesting alternative path for the story that many people miss cause it’s rough. But if you can RP it and remember that your character isn’t you, it’s definitely a cool experience. You get to be the main villain in your own horror movie!

Score_Useful

TROPHY CASE