Octopus Overlords

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:04 pm I'm right there with you. I am currently running a three Duergar team of Moe, Larry and Curly plus Lae'zel (clocking in with a mighty INT of 10).

How does one create a party filled with player made members?

Is that a multiplayer ‘trick’?

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:34 am

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:04 pm I'm right there with you. I am currently running a three Duergar team of Moe, Larry and Curly plus Lae'zel (clocking in with a mighty INT of 10).

How does one create a party filled with player made members?

Is that a multiplayer ‘trick’?

Once you have Withers in your camp you can talk to him and hire NPCs, which you then create.

El Guapo wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:06 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:34 am

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:04 pm I'm right there with you. I am currently running a three Duergar team of Moe, Larry and Curly plus Lae'zel (clocking in with a mighty INT of 10).

How does one create a party filled with player made members?

Is that a multiplayer ‘trick’?

Once you have Withers in your camp you can talk to him and hire NPCs, which you then create.

Ohhhh! lol - I'm an idiot!

I assumed those were some strange old-school DnD 'Hierlings' thing or something like that and I never even put much more thought into it.... Like they would be with your party until a long-rest or something.

Of course. I wish I could bold this:

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:34 am

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:04 pm I'm right there with you. I am currently running a three Duergar team of Moe, Larry and Curly plus Lae'zel (clocking in with a mighty INT of 10).

How does one create a party filled with player made members?

Is that a multiplayer ‘trick’?

There is a trick, but it requires two copies of the game, which is fine because I play multiplayer with my son. In order to have two "avatars" I start a multiplayer game on my Steam account. Then I go on a separate computer, start playing on my son's Steam account, and join the multiplayer session. Exit the game on his account and I am left in control of both avatars. In this way I was able to create a two Duergar party and hire a third one.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:16 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:34 am

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:04 pm I'm right there with you. I am currently running a three Duergar team of Moe, Larry and Curly plus Lae'zel (clocking in with a mighty INT of 10).

How does one create a party filled with player made members?

Is that a multiplayer ‘trick’?

There is a trick, but it requires two copies of the game, which is fine because I play multiplayer with my son. In order to have two "avatars" I start a multiplayer game on my Steam account. Then I go on a separate computer, start playing on my son's Steam account, and join the multiplayer session. Exit the game on his account and I am left in control of both avatars. In this way I was able to create a two Duergar party and hire a third one.

Are you otherwise limited in how many Duergar you can have in your party?

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:16 pm There is a trick, but it requires two copies of the game, which is fine because I play multiplayer with my son. In order to have two "avatars" I start a multiplayer game on my Steam account. Then I go on a separate computer, start playing on my son's Steam account, and join the multiplayer session. Exit the game on his account and I am left in control of both avatars. In this way I was able to create a two Duergar party and hire a third one.

Aha, see - I knew there was something sneaky going on here.

Basically, you are in a Multiplayer game with your son, but he is not ever going to rejoin that game and you can control the development of that character.

So what are the limits on the Withers NPCs that keep you from doing it through him? Does he only allow 1 NPC to be hired?

El Guapo wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:20 pm

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:16 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 11:34 am

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 6:04 pm I'm right there with you. I am currently running a three Duergar team of Moe, Larry and Curly plus Lae'zel (clocking in with a mighty INT of 10).

How does one create a party filled with player made members?

Is that a multiplayer ‘trick’?

There is a trick, but it requires two copies of the game, which is fine because I play multiplayer with my son. In order to have two "avatars" I start a multiplayer game on my Steam account. Then I go on a separate computer, start playing on my son's Steam account, and join the multiplayer session. Exit the game on his account and I am left in control of both avatars. In this way I was able to create a two Duergar party and hire a third one.

Are you otherwise limited in how many Duergar you can have in your party?

Yeah, your avatar plus one hire.

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:21 pm

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:16 pm There is a trick, but it requires two copies of the game, which is fine because I play multiplayer with my son. In order to have two "avatars" I start a multiplayer game on my Steam account. Then I go on a separate computer, start playing on my son's Steam account, and join the multiplayer session. Exit the game on his account and I am left in control of both avatars. In this way I was able to create a two Duergar party and hire a third one.

Aha, see - I knew there was something sneaky going on here.

Basically, you are in a Multiplayer game with your son, but he is not ever going to rejoin that game and you can control the development of that character.

So what are the limits on the Withers NPCs that keep you from doing it through him? Does he only allow 1 NPC to be hired?

No you can hire 3 if you want. But you can't change their race.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:41 pm

Scraper wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:21 pm Was anyone else disappointed when they realized the level cap is 12 and they still had a ton of stuff left to do in act 3?

Yes. But I have dealt with it by only doing those quests/areas that give tangible rewards. Ain't nobody got time to wipe out the territory for no xp.

Spoiler for late game stuff
So yeah I wish the level cap was 15 or so.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:48 pm No you can hire 3 if you want. But you can't change their race.

I appreciate your reply, but I'm still confused I think.

So: you can only hire 1 single Duergar NPC. But you could also hire up to 3 NPCs if you want, but not change their race.

Is the limit to Duergar NPCs a limit only to that race, or can you also not hire 3 Drow?

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:09 pm

Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:48 pm No you can hire 3 if you want. But you can't change their race.

I appreciate your reply, but I'm still confused I think.

So: you can only hire 1 single Duergar NPC. But you could also hire up to 3 NPCs if you want, but not change their race.

Is the limit to Duergar NPCs a limit only to that race, or can you also not hire 3 Drow?

The only limitation on the hirelings is race. I mention Duergar (there is one hireling of that persuasion) because I wanted 3 of them and the only way to do that was use the avatar trick.

Oh, OK I think I get it now. (And again, thanks - I realize I could probably educate myself merely by dropping some party members and engaging Withers).

Is this right: When you go to select your NPC from Withers, you don't just get to "make a new character" - you get to pick from a limited group of NPCs (perhaps race+background? predefined) that you then can Withers into whatever class you want.

Side note: the Druergar are a rather nice race with their Enlarge and Invisible abilities.

That free Invisibility at each Battle (or always, when roaming) is just so hard to not make part of a min/max build. I imagine pickpocketing is a joke.


I hear that Deep Gnomes are also interesting to build upon.

Unagi wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:20 pm Side note: the Druergar are a rather nice race with their Enlarge and Invisible abilities.

That free Invisibility at each Battle (or always, when roaming) is just so hard to not make part of a min/max build. I imagine pickpocketing is a joke.

Exactly. Can you imagine roaming the earth with 3 of them. I did and I do.

Had to add this here, I was searching Baldur's gate 3 videos on Youtube...

Before I even saw it, I was thinking "if they didn't take advantage of his naked couch scene in this clip, they have made a grave mistake".

That was incredible!

Scraper wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:01 pm

Jaymann wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:41 pm

Scraper wrote: ↑Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:21 pm Was anyone else disappointed when they realized the level cap is 12 and they still had a ton of stuff left to do in act 3?

Yes. But I have dealt with it by only doing those quests/areas that give tangible rewards. Ain't nobody got time to wipe out the territory for no xp.

Spoiler for late game stuff

Spoiler:

I'm near the end but I still haven't taken down Gortash or disabled his robot factory and I bet I could have easily hit level 14 by now. I went through the entire House of Hope, killed everyone except Hope and I didn't get an ounce of XP for it, my biggest reward is the Armor that Raphael wears. I've killed the Vampire lord, rescued Minsc, killed Raphael, killed Orin, I even killed the one guy who was Bhaal's judge, I'm on a righteous rampage.

So yeah I wish the level cap was 15 or so.

Fyi.
I think that there are mods to go up to L20 as well as multiclass each one up to L20.
There are also mods to add higher level spells too.
I have some installed but haven't actually started my game yet to test.

I think I may have been too hasty in my initial assessment of the console version. I tried the PS5 version immediately after finishing on PC and found it to feel very clunky in comparison. After a few months break, I fired it up again last weekend. Not sure if there have been patched improvements, but it feels significantly better this time around. The radial menus are slick and easy to use, precise movement is very easy, the camera feels less fiddly, and I think I actually prefer “driving” the group instead of constantly clicking to move. Picking things up can still occasionally be clunky, but overall I’m finding it to be a fantastic experience. To the point where I think it may actually be my preferred version…which is NOT something I thought I’d be saying.

I also think that I can officially say that BG3 is firmly in the running for my personal “Best Game Ever”. Even though my second playthrough is mostly the same choices (I can never play anything but a goody-two-shoes), I’m stumbling across all sorts of new areas and interactions that I missed the first time through. These have added even more to an already fleshed out world, and I continue to be amazed at Larian’s depth of storytelling and world building. It’s quite astounding, to be honest. Playing as a different party gives the game a much different feel as well. Last time I was an elven ranger, and mostly used Laezel (fighter), Shadowheart (life Cleric), and Gale (evo wiz). This time I’m a half-orc fighter, using Karlach (Barb), Wyll (Warlock) and Astarion (Thief). Even though I know what’s coming in the battles, this new party makes them feel fresh and unique.

This is truly a masterpiece of a game that will do down as an all-time classic.

Me:

Select 1st character, click >large attack option< and then when I look at the battlefield, I think - wait, I want to first attack with this other character... So I select that 2nd character - and the 1st character follows through with my >large attack< upon my 2nd character.

I'm sure we've all done it once. But have we all done it over a dozen times!

At 80+ hours in I'm finally about to approach what I assume is the final boss. My main has been an Oath keeper Paladin throughout and I've really enjoyed that class. I primarily use Shadowheart, Gale and Lae zel (However you spell it). So I have a tank, a mage, a cleric for healing, and a DPS machine with Laezel. It's been a great combo for most fights. I've completed every major side quest I'm ready to see how all of my decisions play out in the end. I'm hoping for the good/happy ending, but we'll see.

I am playing very slow (game is almost always on, but I only sit down and play for like 20-30 minutes jaunts)
Only level 7, still act 1 (I probably should just move on to act 2, and revisit act 1 stuff I miss on another playthrough, but the completionist inside me is winning)

My team:

Myself(female drow): Straight Druid/Moon - I plan to multiclass after level 10 into perhaps Wizard or sorcerer or some other 2 levels

Karlach: Barbarian(Berzerker) Lvl 5/ Rouge 2 (plan is to get to Rouge 4(thief/fast hands & feat), then 3 levels of fighter to take EK for other thrown weapons to bond)
She has a Throwing focus. Bought an auto-return Pike from a goblin early on and have just been cleaning up with her.

Shadowheart: She is currently a Cleric(Tempest) 6/Wizard1 (to yoink a few scrolls into the team play-list) Plan here is to take her to Cleric 8, then take 3 levels in Sorcerer probably(possibly just stick with Cleric or maybe incread Wizard).
May respec into a Light Cleric.

Wyll: Currently a Lvl5 Warlock(fiend) and Lvl 2 Bard. Plan to go to Bard 7


I took Lae'zel in the group for the creche' part, but I've since swapped her back out for Shadowheart.

So, a possible problem.

I went up against the Surgeon dude in Act 2. One of his minions cast "Confuse" on my Tav. On his temporarily hostile action, Tav jumped up next to Astarion and hit him with a potion of Gaseous Form (very random). Now the battle is over and Tav is out of confused status (so he's no longer hostile), but Astarion is still in gaseous form from the potion. Since it wasn't cast as a spell, there's no Concentration check from a specific caster to break it. I tried a short rest, but he's still gaseous. Is that a status that wears off after a while, or did I maybe hit a bug?

I didn't really want to save in case I needed to revert and didn't want to lose a big chunk of progress, including that battle.

I had something vaguely similar happen with Shadowheart. Her fear of wolves triggered and the status became stuck. It cleared after I saved, quit, then reloaded the save, so I didn't have to revert to an old save in that case.

YES! I finally beat the game in Honour Mode! And here's the dice I got (Shining Honour):



Of course I used a couple shortcuts, both legit:

<crickets>

After 1,800+ hours to achieve this, not even an attaboy? Tough crowd.

After 1800+ hours, perhaps people are trying to decide whether to congratulate you or stage an intervention.

First time I've ever heard of Honour Mode.

Congrats though, that's pretty amazing.

Attaboy

Sorry, I missed your post! - Big grats!

Nerf Alert! You can no longer get the Gith Legendary Silver Sword in Act 1:

TIL that JK Simmons is the voice of Ketheric Thorm. Now I will actually listen when he spouts off.

Jaymann wrote:TIL that JK Simmons is the voice of Ketheric Thorm. Now I will actually listen when he spouts off.

He did a fantastic job in his scenes.

LOL!

I'd love to hear his version of "80's Hair and 'Dragon's Lair' as sung to the tune of "The Bear and the Maiden Fair"

Great stuff. The "Wyrd" really sells it.

I've been enjoying the game, but lately it has decided it likes to crash to the desktop. A lot. Especially when I've just finished a tough battle and tried to do a quick save.

Max Peck wrote: ↑Mon Feb 05, 2024 9:04 pm I've been enjoying the game, but lately it has decided it likes to crash to the desktop. A lot. Especially when I've just finished a tough battle and tried to do a quick save.

I think I mentioned this before. I have been using NVIDEA GeForce Now where for $20/month you can play on their high end servers (you must own the game). I have had zero issues and maybe one or two crashes per month. Haven't had any issues playing on my laptop either, but maybe I'm just lucky.