jgsugden
Legend
Those of us that have played BG3 are (mostly) in love with it. It is outstanding in quality without rip off pricing, and with an almost unreasonable level of love from Larian in improving it post release. It is one of, if not the absolute, favorite game(s) ever.
HOWEVER ...
There are many ways in which this sonnauhbeyotch has screwed with me. I thought I'd share mine, and ask about any other drawbacks you've seen.
1.) Player Availability: My players are still disappearing on me. I see on Steam that they're playing BG3, but they're missing the start time of games, they're not showing up for board game times, and they're not answering chats/emails/texts. This happens in my gaming circle on occasion - but since BG3 was released, it happens a lot more. And I am hearing this from my friend's spouses, etc... This game is so addicting that people are missing a lot of important things. One mom got caught up and failed to pick her son up from daycare before they closed...
2.) BG3 Stunts in Tabletop: I've always tried to incorporate dynamic environments in my games, but only a small percentage of players really took advantage of it - but now that percentage has grown. The scales have tipped from "I wish my players appreciated the setup I gave them" to "wow, they're looking hard for ways to use the environment and I have to make up a lot on the fly due to weird detailed questions." Pushing, blowing things up, using water to electrify enemies, throwing things down on enemies to add falling damage to the damage inflicted, etc... I loved seeing the increased engagement ... and then I started to get a bit tired of the pushing the envelope and expectations. Example: In an encounter I described that the bad guy was hiding behind a barrel outside a shop (to get cover). One of the PCs cast a firebolt at the barrel with the expectation it would explode. All I did was say there was a barrel. I had no idea what would be in it when I said it ... and it would make no sense to leave an explosive barrel on your front porch - but the player assumed it was a setup for a big explosion. That was deflating in the moment.
3.) Rules confusion: I have really experienced players, medium experience players, and inexperienced players in my games. The medium and inexperienced players in my games are starting to assume the BG3 way of doing things are the actual rules of D&D, and they're using those versions in the game. For example, a ranger with Longstrider had never cast it before. Then they started to cast it "at the start of each day" when the PCs began to travel. I didn't pick up that they thought they were casting it as a ritual and thought that it would last all day - and they were casting it on all the PCs and their mounts. Players also have asked me where to find the rules for thrown weapon damage from throwing the weapons down at an enemy and other Bg3 environment related questions.
4.) Guidance-palooza: This has been a problem for many DMs over the years, but only rarely in my games ... until recently. Players are casting guidance CONSTANTLY now. When they arrive at a new location they cast guidance on the Sorcerer for social encounters. When the rogue goes to sneak off they get guidance. Those are fine ... but when the PCs cast guidance every 6 seconds DURING a CONVERSATION ... it gets weird. They're assuming the guidance might be getting used up on passive rolls, so it is better to keep guiding. OK, KAREN, I KNOW HOW TO SHOP ON MY OWN!!!!
5.) Mind Flayer facination: I had a bunch of hooks related to the Far Relams that the PCs had not been picking up in several games. Guess which threads have been front and center recently? The ones that relate to the Mind Flayers and Aberrations in general. I like variety in my games, but so many sandbox games where I am a DM and wher eI am a player are leaving to the Illithid heavily in the past 3 months...
What else are you folks encountering?
HOWEVER ...
There are many ways in which this sonnauhbeyotch has screwed with me. I thought I'd share mine, and ask about any other drawbacks you've seen.
1.) Player Availability: My players are still disappearing on me. I see on Steam that they're playing BG3, but they're missing the start time of games, they're not showing up for board game times, and they're not answering chats/emails/texts. This happens in my gaming circle on occasion - but since BG3 was released, it happens a lot more. And I am hearing this from my friend's spouses, etc... This game is so addicting that people are missing a lot of important things. One mom got caught up and failed to pick her son up from daycare before they closed...
2.) BG3 Stunts in Tabletop: I've always tried to incorporate dynamic environments in my games, but only a small percentage of players really took advantage of it - but now that percentage has grown. The scales have tipped from "I wish my players appreciated the setup I gave them" to "wow, they're looking hard for ways to use the environment and I have to make up a lot on the fly due to weird detailed questions." Pushing, blowing things up, using water to electrify enemies, throwing things down on enemies to add falling damage to the damage inflicted, etc... I loved seeing the increased engagement ... and then I started to get a bit tired of the pushing the envelope and expectations. Example: In an encounter I described that the bad guy was hiding behind a barrel outside a shop (to get cover). One of the PCs cast a firebolt at the barrel with the expectation it would explode. All I did was say there was a barrel. I had no idea what would be in it when I said it ... and it would make no sense to leave an explosive barrel on your front porch - but the player assumed it was a setup for a big explosion. That was deflating in the moment.
3.) Rules confusion: I have really experienced players, medium experience players, and inexperienced players in my games. The medium and inexperienced players in my games are starting to assume the BG3 way of doing things are the actual rules of D&D, and they're using those versions in the game. For example, a ranger with Longstrider had never cast it before. Then they started to cast it "at the start of each day" when the PCs began to travel. I didn't pick up that they thought they were casting it as a ritual and thought that it would last all day - and they were casting it on all the PCs and their mounts. Players also have asked me where to find the rules for thrown weapon damage from throwing the weapons down at an enemy and other Bg3 environment related questions.
4.) Guidance-palooza: This has been a problem for many DMs over the years, but only rarely in my games ... until recently. Players are casting guidance CONSTANTLY now. When they arrive at a new location they cast guidance on the Sorcerer for social encounters. When the rogue goes to sneak off they get guidance. Those are fine ... but when the PCs cast guidance every 6 seconds DURING a CONVERSATION ... it gets weird. They're assuming the guidance might be getting used up on passive rolls, so it is better to keep guiding. OK, KAREN, I KNOW HOW TO SHOP ON MY OWN!!!!
5.) Mind Flayer facination: I had a bunch of hooks related to the Far Relams that the PCs had not been picking up in several games. Guess which threads have been front and center recently? The ones that relate to the Mind Flayers and Aberrations in general. I like variety in my games, but so many sandbox games where I am a DM and wher eI am a player are leaving to the Illithid heavily in the past 3 months...
What else are you folks encountering?
