Gale just dies instantly

[Knightmage Bael]

At the start of a fight every enemy makes a beeline for him I spend half the fight trying to keep him alive. He always rolls super low on initiative so he dies before I can have him use blur or mirror image too.

I honestly feel like I'd rather have a party full of fighters lol.

[Knightmage Bael]

What if he takes the Magic Initiate: Warlock feat at level 4 (wear the intelligence headband to keep him at level 18).

Then take hellish rebuke spell and blade ward cantrip?

[Indure]

Originally posted by Dellecross:

To be honest, Gale dying instantly shouldn't be much of a deal - because there's nothing he offers that's unique to him and/or mandatory to the party. He's not a healer, the gyth does way better damage and if you're not proficient with sleight of hand then the rogue is better option.

Due to low level cap there's close to no reason of having wizards in the party, anything they could offer others do better. With level 5 and new spells that's likely to change, but for now don't bother too much - you don't lose much for now having him, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

This isn't true, Gale is the only character besides the MC (porentially) that has AoEs. Technically Wyll can throw out 1 and some weapons can throw out cleave, but they pale in comparison to how much multi attacks Gale can output via shatter, burning hands, scorching rays, magic missile, and thunder wave.

[id795078477]

Originally posted by Indure:

Originally posted by Dellecross:

To be honest, Gale dying instantly shouldn't be much of a deal - because there's nothing he offers that's unique to him and/or mandatory to the party. He's not a healer, the gyth does way better damage and if you're not proficient with sleight of hand then the rogue is better option.

Due to low level cap there's close to no reason of having wizards in the party, anything they could offer others do better. With level 5 and new spells that's likely to change, but for now don't bother too much - you don't lose much for now having him, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

This isn't true, Gale is the only character besides the MC (porentially) that has AoEs. Technically Wyll can throw out 1 and some weapons can throw out cleave, but they pale in comparison to how much multi attacks Gale can output via shatter, burning hands, scorching rays, magic missile, and thunder wave.

All characters who can wield a melee weapon have "AoE" from cleave - provided that the weapon type is right. You've pointed that out already. Anyone can shoot an elemental arrow and you find quite some of them - or you can buy it too (there's not much else to buy anyways)

Also, I didn't find AoE that much useful in game due to the fact the enemies are so spread out and are rarely close to each other because they almost always abuse range. Even more, AoE's from magic is much worse because unlike cleave, enemies tend to avoid the effect by rolling a save - and it's well-known by now that save throws are overtuned for a lot of enemies in the game.

So while technically you're right till some degree, in practice AoE's aren't even that useful.

[Lax]

Not to mention there are plenty of AOE's from all the barrels. Makes everyone a demolition expert. :P

[id795078477]

Originally posted by Lax:

Not to mention there are plenty of AOE's from all the barrels. Makes everyone a demolition expert. :P

+1 on that. I tend to avoid it though as that's on my "abuse list" but it doesn't make it an invalid option.

[DaylightDemon]

i too noticed that the enemy AI is too smart in this case. they know who to best focus and they never make exceptions. i think this game could use a type of aggro system. or a default "boast" bonus action to shift aggro into the players control a bit more.

[Chillearth]

I certainly agree with DaylightDemon's suggestion of an aggro system. It's a better solution than things like giving your main fighter a slightly worse armour class, so attacks are aimed at him/her, rather than someone who has less health.

If I remember correctly, that was what happened in Dragon Age Origins, where you got the front-man fighter drawing aggro, before your wizard let rip some real damaging (and therefore high aggro-gathering) spells. Fighters also had abilities that dragged aggro back on to themselves (another good idea).

It is unrealistic to (for example) identify undead skeleton compainions (as in DOS2) while they are in disguise, unless there is good reason to do so. Enemies chucking heal spells at them is just wrong if they are unaware of a companion's status.

While you can suggest that the guy without armour is probably a spell user, there should be some variety (in BG3) in who enemies choose to target, especially if the spell user has yet to have a turn where he reveals his specialty. Perhaps I am doing Larian a disservice, there is some inbuilt variety and it's just that I haven't noticed it. It would take a good bit of experimentation to get a better idea.

[id795078477]

Originally posted by Chillearth:

I certainly agree with DaylightDemon's suggestion of an aggro system. It's a better solution than things like giving your main fighter a slightly worse armour class, so attacks are aimed at him/her, rather than someone who has less health.

If I remember correctly, that was what happened in Dragon Age Origins, where you got the front-man fighter drawing aggro, before your wizard let rip some real damaging (and therefore high aggro-gathering) spells. Fighters also had abilities that dragged aggro back on to themselves (another good idea).

Unlikely to happen because in 5e there's (to my knowledge) little to no such mechanics. So unless I'm missing something, it's not what will happen.

Instead what will happen is on the higher levels the casters will likely be much better on their own - stuff like Haste for instance + high-damaging spells will make them worth having in the party.

[Chillearth]

Originally posted by Dellecross:

Originally posted by Chillearth:

I
Unlikely to happen because in 5e there's (to my knowledge) little to no such mechanics. So unless I'm missing something, it's not what will happen.

Instead what will happen is on the higher levels the casters will likely be much better on their own - stuff like Haste for instance + high-damaging spells will make them worth having in the party.

I agree there is no real D&D 5e mechanic on this and there shouldn't be, as the game is designed for DMs to decide who targets who, and a different (non-D&D rules) method is required when a D&D game is made as a computer game.

[Knightmage Bael]

Burning hands is a fantastic AoE. It's range and width was wide enough for me to hit 4 goblins + Priestess Gut in the center there. I used a level two and I actually incinerated two of them.

Then I had Lae'zel use cleave, and she managed to get two who were grouped *barely* close together enough.

Cleave is affected by weapon distance too. If you're using a weapon with a 1.5m radius you wont hit anything with cleave, ever. You need something longer, like a Halberd (2.5m) or whatever.

[Indure]

Originally posted by Chillearth:

I certainly agree with DaylightDemon's suggestion of an aggro system. It's a better solution than things like giving your main fighter a slightly worse armour class, so attacks are aimed at him/her, rather than someone who has less health.

If I remember correctly, that was what happened in Dragon Age Origins, where you got the front-man fighter drawing aggro, before your wizard let rip some real damaging (and therefore high aggro-gathering) spells. Fighters also had abilities that dragged aggro back on to themselves (another good idea).

It is unrealistic to (for example) identify undead skeleton compainions (as in DOS2) while they are in disguise, unless there is good reason to do so. Enemies chucking heal spells at them is just wrong if they are unaware of a companion's status.

While you can suggest that the guy without armour is probably a spell user, there should be some variety (in BG3) in who enemies choose to target, especially if the spell user has yet to have a turn where he reveals his specialty. Perhaps I am doing Larian a disservice, there is some inbuilt variety and it's just that I haven't noticed it. It would take a good bit of experimentation to get a better idea.

All they really need to do is actually incorporate all the rules from 5e. First, fix Opportunity attacks so melee characters can actually punish enemies running by them. Second, add ready attacks so melee can hold positions without losing their attacks per round. Third, add the Shield spell into the game so wizards can protect themselves from harassment. Fourth, even if they don't add a full cover system to the game, they should add a system that gives half cover if you are standing behind another player. So if a fighter stands in front of the wizard, the wizard gets a +2AC against range attacks, making them less likely to be targeted and more defensible if they are.

[id795078477]

Originally posted by Indure:

All they really need to do is actually incorporate all the rules from 5e. First, fix Opportunity attacks so melee characters can actually punish enemies running by them. Second, add ready attacks so melee can hold positions without losing their attacks per round. Third, add the Shield spell into the game so wizards can protect themselves from harassment. Fourth, even if they don't add a full cover system to the game, they should add a system that gives half cover if you are standing behind another player. So if a fighter stands in front of the wizard, the wizard gets a +2AC against range attacks, making them less likely to be targeted and more defensible if they are.

.. and fifth (although I'd place it at "zero") - remove the roll with advantage from high-ground. I find the presence of such an OP and abusable mech in the game .. bizarre.

[Indure]

Originally posted by Dellecross:

Originally posted by Indure:

All they really need to do is actually incorporate all the rules from 5e. First, fix Opportunity attacks so melee characters can actually punish enemies running by them. Second, add ready attacks so melee can hold positions without losing their attacks per round. Third, add the Shield spell into the game so wizards can protect themselves from harassment. Fourth, even if they don't add a full cover system to the game, they should add a system that gives half cover if you are standing behind another player. So if a fighter stands in front of the wizard, the wizard gets a +2AC against range attacks, making them less likely to be targeted and more defensible if they are.

.. and fifth (although I'd place it at "zero") - remove the roll with advantage from high-ground. I find the presence of such an OP and abusable mech in the game .. bizarre.

That would greatly help, but I didn't include it because the player can equally use it.

[[TG] zac]

Originally posted by pandariuskairos:

Originally posted by TG zac:

If only it wasn't broken by getting a papercut due to being concentration.

Mage Armor does not require concentration.

Guess my game is bugged then cause he gets so much as a papercut and it seems to go away.

[Knightmage Bael]

Seriously though, level 4 Gale Warlock Feat?

Just use the headband to get INT at 18. Thoughts? The only issue is charisma, but blade ward is self cast, and rebuke will do damage regardless.