How close does this game follow the 5E rules?

[[TE] Kuraudo]

Hey guys and gals! I just bought that other game that uses 5E which I won't name and I'm having an absolute blast. The 5E ruleset really, really works as a videogame to the point where I'm salivating over the prospect of a similar turn based Pathfinder Second Edition game eventually being released.

That said, I'm having so much fun ,but that other game is similarly in Early Access and I can only remake the party so many times doing the same campaign before things start to get stale. With that in mind, I was wondering how closely Baldur's Gate 3 follows the 5E rule set. While I'm especially interested in how combat plays out, I'm also interested in social encounters: after all, a lot of CRPG games seem to try and do their own thing (that other game is guilty of this as well) when it comes to social encounters.

The reviews that I've read all seem to compare this to Baldur's Gate 2 or Divinity Original Sin which isn't helpful to me since what I'm interested in is the faithfullness to the 5E rules. As good as that other game is, it does take a few liberties (like dim light posing disadvantage though I'm actually fine with this).

So, how close does Baldur's Gate 3 follow the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition rules? Thanks!

[rubyismycat]

rofl ha ha ha oh your serious? Not at all

[Dragon Master]

It follows the 5e rules pretty well. The attributes work as they should, with the appropriate modifiers and effects on skills, weapons, spells and saving throws.

Races have the appropriate racial abilities and skills (except drow don't have sunlight sensitivity).

Some of the actions/bonus actions have been shaken up a bit. Jump is a disengage action, and is a bonus action available to everyone, but rogues can use the thief subclass to have two bonus actions per round.

A few of the spells have been altered, like firebolt and acid splash. firebolt is 1d6 with 1d4 fire damage instead of just a 1d10. Acid splash is a save to avoid damage, and while in it it lowers AC by 2.

[Echo]

Here we go round the mulberry bush

[Razorblade]

BG3 follows pretty closely to the 5E rules. The most notable changes are shoving is now a bonus action instead of an attack action, high ground/low ground give advantage/disadvantage, and environmental effects are more codified than in 5E. So for example, Firebolt in tabletop 5E can set flammable objects on fire. This has been simplified into Firebolt leaving a circle of fire behind, rather than individually tracking the flammability of objects.

[sethmage]

depends who you ask, some will say pretty close, some not at all, i hope that helps :)

[Dragon Master]

Originally posted by sethmage:

depends who you ask, some will say pretty close, some not at all, i hope that helps :)

This is true.

Some people are absolutely insistent the game is exactly like Divinity: Original Sin 2 and won't hear anything but that.

[TrueWarlord真の武]

We have a list of D&D 5e things that are changed in BG3. Feel free to add your findings:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1086940/discussions/0/2971771480485232145/

There are plenty of changes. Some are small things like cantrips being a bit different, others are big changes that may hurt balance big time in future, like casters being able to cast more than one leveled spell in a single turn.

[Enigmatory]

It's heavy houseruled 5e. And EA. Hard to tell what we will get in the end.

[sethmage]

you have 120 min to try for yourself, nothing beats that

[Viper]

Originally posted by Razorblade:

BG3 follows pretty closely to the 5E rules. The most notable changes are shoving is now a bonus action instead of an attack action, high ground/low ground give advantage/disadvantage, and environmental effects are more codified than in 5E. So for example, Firebolt in tabletop 5E can set flammable objects on fire. This has been simplified into Firebolt leaving a circle of fire behind, rather than individually tracking the flammability of objects.

changes made for playability as a video game that fits Larians engine.

[chriseggroll]

tabletop rules will never be 100% translatable to a video game but I think they've gotten pretty close. I'm looking forward to seeing how higher levels play out and other classes.

[The Emperor Of Milfgaard]

I am fairly certain you are allowed to name solasta crown of the magister, because larian supported those guys themselves. Or so I heard.

[MJ]

Id say its close enough to look like 5e but definitely with some house rules. If you like 5e then its fine. But if you like 5e...

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU???

/jk

[BW022]

The rules are probably 80% 5e -- you have actions, bonus actions, movement, same spells, races, classes, etc. However, the 20% which doesn't follow the rules... is jarring and shows how differently the game plays. Hide and shove are bonus actions. Dodge doesn't exist. Oil, acid, and alchemist's fire are 10' radius. etc. Height always gives advantage/disadvantage. Rests are odd.

BG3 then ups the encounters to insane (by 5e) levels of difficulty to compensate for the fact players can abuse/use these rules. So you have a fighter with a dozen 30hp goblins tossing a half-dozen acid and alchemists' fire bombs at you, while you attack, move behind cover, and (bonus action) hide or shove everything off roof tops. If you played the other game... you'll likely notice it doesn't play at all like it in practice.

That said, BG3 has a wonderful opening story, graphics, NPCs, character creation options (although EA doesn't support a party, just one PC plus pre-make companions). It's slightly more open world, but it doesn't feel like a world. The story isn't nearly as linear with lots of fully developed side quests.

I'd say try it for two hours and then ask for a refund, but... you'll almost certainly spend more than that just doing character creation, cut scene start, and the initial adventure. It's also a really good start/hook which you'll probably want to continue with.

In short, I liked most things about the other game better -- camera, game play, combats, rules adherence, balanced encounters, map, etc. -- but the story, graphics, dialog quality, and world of BG3 was likely better.

[[TE] Kuraudo]

Originally posted by BW022:

The rules are probably 80% 5e -- you have actions, bonus actions, movement, same spells, races, classes, etc. However, the 20% which doesn't follow the rules... is jarring and shows how differently the game plays. Hide and shove are bonus actions.

Wait what? I think I heard that shove was a bonus action in another thread, but hide too? Shove is game breaking enough, but is there any reason for the whole party to not hide or shove if they don't have a bonus action spell that needs to be fired? Is there any chance the devs will turn these two back into bonus actions?

Originally posted by BW022:

Dodge doesn't exist.

Huh? Why? Any chance the devs just haven't implemented it yet and plan to add it back in?

Originally posted by BW022:

Height always gives advantage/disadvantage.

Not sure how I feel about this; I'd rather no house rules at all, but unless every single battlefield is made up of areas with chest high walls to walk on, I can't see... oh ranged attacks? Does it apply to ranged attacks? Because ranged is powerful enough in 5e: adding this to the mix would be downright terrible.

Originally posted by BW022:

BG3 then ups the encounters to insane (by 5e) levels of difficulty to compensate for the fact players can abuse/use these rules. So you have a fighter with a dozen 30hp goblins tossing a half-dozen acid and alchemists' fire bombs at you, while you attack, move behind cover, and (bonus action) hide or shove everything off roof tops. If you played the other game... you'll likely notice it doesn't play at all like it in practice.

That sounds like a completely different game system, ouch. Thanks for the run down. Is there a story reason for why the goblins are so well equipped? That's kiss of death for interest to me though even if there is a story reason. Damn. I was hoping this would be like the other game at least in combat.

Originally posted by BW022:

I'd say try it for two hours and then ask for a refund, but... you'll almost certainly spend more than that just doing character creation, cut scene start, and the initial adventure. It's also a really good start/hook which you'll probably want to continue with.

I keep forgetting that this is a thing thanks!