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Mummelmann on 24 July 2023
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HoloDust said:
Mummelmann said:

Just about my only complaint about BGIII in its current state is the rules system itself; I'm not a fan of D&D 5th edition at all (Pathfinder 2e is my jam). But I understand that they can't use the, now archaic, 3.5 system, or the 4th edition that everyone hated.

I haven't been following almost anything about BG3 (want to be surprised when I play it), so I don't know how faithfully they implemented 5e, but yeah, 5e is piss poor choice to be the core system for BG3, given how few choices player gets after initial character creation in 5e.
Obviously, given the setting, they had to use some D&D system, I'm not sure if WotC is playing any active role in that, so maybe they had no choice but to pick 5e, but 3/3.5e would be so much better fit for the game, no matter how old that system is.

Agreed, the 3.5 system lends itself a lot better to games like this with its sheer depth and breadth of choice. That's one of the reasons why I love Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous so much, the PF1 system is very similar to 3.5 and full of choice and breadth. The downside of it is the insane OP builds you can do by exploiting the mechanics (cough cough - my Halfling tank sporting 84AC at level 18...).

Neverwinter Nights was brilliant as well, in no small part due to the faithful adaptation of the core D20 system (kind of a mix between 3rd and 3.5).

For me, a game with the sprawling narrative structure and immense world-building of BG3 deserves a better system. Unfortunately, I think the BG and D&D IPs are tied at the feet, and WotC get a say in the implementation of the system in video games. I can only hope that a studio with the pedigree and talent of Larian will one day make a Pathfinder game. The 2e system is a lot more streamlined than 1e, but still plenty more deep than D&D 5e, and full of customization and actual logic in its rule-set. One of my biggest pet peeves about 5e is how they handle modifiers and the entire attack - defense system, it's just too simplified to be satisfactory. Not to mention the intoxicating flexibility of the 3-action economy of Pathfinder 2e.

My god, I'm ranting, I'll stop now! Glad to see more good 'ole Pen & Paper RPG fans in here!