D&D General Baldur's Gate 3 will now be releasing August 3rd on PC and September 6th on PS5, increased level cap, race & class details and more

[Henadic Theologian]

It's not a contiguous open world game like Witcher 3 or Skyrim. The datamined map is for overland travel, and may well be just for Act 2. It doesn't represent the limits of the locations that can be visited in the game (it doesn't show Avernus for a start).

The Throne of Bhaal was a decidedly epic level level adventure, ending in becoming a God, but it had the smallest regional map. The Baldur's Gate games have never been about going wherever you want, you only go where the story gives you reason to go,

No overland travel to Baldur's Gate is still act one. All travel TO BG is act one, because BG itself is Act 2.

Stuff being added to Act 1 that never appeared in EA include Moonrise Tower, Lae'zel's Creche, Kenrith City, etc...

Its unknown where Act 3 occurs, same say Hell, some suggest Candlekeep, Chult is very possible, but if my guess is right, then the visiting circus to BG could be the Witchlight, which opens up the possiblity of the Feywild as well.

 

[Burnside]

I don't even think they have explicitly stated how many acts there are. Just that EA is most of Act 1, and what we have in EA is about 1/3rd of the game. There may be only two acts though.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

All travel TO BG is act one, because BG itself is Act 2.

Act 2 is based in Baldur's Gate. There is nothing to suggest we are unable to leave the city. If the map was only for the journey too the city, there would be no reason to show the city itself in zoomed in detail.

Its unknown where Act 3 occurs, same say Hell, some suggest Candlekeep, Chult is very possible, but if my guess is right, then the visiting circus to BG could be the Witchlight, which opens up the possiblity of the Feywild as well.

It's already been pointed out that's Quayle's carnival. Feywild is very unlikely. But with Avernus Chekhov's Gunning it's way through the prologue, it would be surprising if it didn't show up again. And yes, Chult is suggested in datamining, and Candlekeep seems likely due it's role in the narrative. But that will probably be just a quick visit, not a major location.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

I don't even think they have explicitly stated how many acts there are. Just that EA is most of Act 1, and what we have in EA is about 1/3rd of the game. There may be only two acts though.

I'm pretty sure there are at least three, but final acts always tend to be shorter.

 

[Burnside]

Act 2 is based in Baldur's Gate. There is nothing to suggest we are unable to leave the city. If the map was only for the journey too the city, there would be no reason to show the city itself in zoomed in detail.

It's already been pointed out that's Quayle's carnival. Feywild is very unlikely. But with Avernus Chekhov's Gunning it's way through the prologue, it would be surprising if it didn't show up again. And yes, Chult is suggested in datamining, and Candlekeep seems likely due it's role in the narrative. But that will probably be just a quick visit, not a major location.

Sven has confirmed that there is what amounts to an Easter Egg encounter that involves being teleported to Chult. He mentioned that a major studio would never have permitted them to devote the time and resources they did to an encounter that 97% of players won’t see.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Sven has confirmed that there is what amounts to an Easter Egg encounter that involves being teleported to Chult. He mentioned that a major studio would never have permitted them to devote the time and resources they did to an encounter that 97% of players won’t see.

I wouldn't be surprised if there where several short hops to weird locations. BG2 managed to get to Krynn and Athas after all.

 

[FreeTheSlaves]

I've played a lot of EA and BG3 is more like TT D&D than CRPGs BG1 or 2. Just the whole party and camp dynamic by itself contrasts with daily adventuring.

Yeah, sure. There's lots of exotic locations; Underdark, Avernus, (strongly hinted at) Astral Plane, (foreshadowed) Chult. But these in themselves don't make high level play.

To me, high level play is the ability, and even the need, to travel far and fast. And sometimes near simultaneously. And being proactive about it too.

BG3 is an adventure thrust upon you and broadly speaking, you're reacting to predicaments.

If the game is as successful as it deserves to be, it'll get a sequel. Hopefully high-to-epic level. I wouldn't expect Larian Studios to just add more content, I reckon they'd have the game transition into a distinctly higher level experience - and I think that would require a complete map rework, perhaps along with a calendar dynamic.

 

[Lidgar]

I don't even think they have explicitly stated how many acts there are. Just that EA is most of Act 1, and what we have in EA is about 1/3rd of the game. There may be only two acts though.

I thought they said recently that EA amounted to less than a 1/4 of the overall content. In any case, there’s lots of possibilities after Act II. Given the storyline, taking the battle to the Astral Plane against a mindflayer stronghold is a possibility too.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

To me, high level play is the ability, and even the need, to travel far and fast. And sometimes near simultaneously. And being proactive about it too.

Yeah, well, don't hold your breath, these games don't work that way. And "travelling far and fast" is a somewhat individual idea of high level play. I mean I've had players acquiring an Eberron airship, and thus the ability to travel "far and fast" at level 3. It's no big deal.

High level just means higher stakes and monsters with more hp. See Throne of Bhaal.

 

[Burnside]

I thought they said recently that EA amounted to less than a 1/4 of the overall content. In any case, there’s lots of possibilities after Act II. Given the storyline, taking the battle to the Astral Plane against a mindflayer stronghold is a possibility too.

I can't find any source that says that tbh. The game goes to level 12. A comprehensive play-through of the EA content with the level cap removed gets you to level 7. Even assuming that you don't do every last thing, it's hard to see how you don't hit level 7 by the end of Act 1, considering we don't even have all of Act 1.

There are a lot of points about BG3 that are repeated so often by fans, particularly in the subreddit, that folks have begun to take them as facts. There is other weird stuff along those lines, like repeating over and over that "EA has the evil-aligned companions" despite the fact that alignment clearly doesn't exist in BG3.