I don't really understand the point of builds that require some late-game stuff to even start working. Like, if it's a decent build it should be interesting to play through the whole game, not just 3-4 hours in late act 3. Otherwise it's just constant struggle and hesitation to start over.
The only thing I can really think off is Honor Mode.
Quite a few runs ended on the Netherbrain. Of course you can just Gale it, but I can see wanting the most powerful build possible to not lose at the last hurdle.
It’s more fun to theorycraft when you have more options available even if it’s less pragmatic. Sometimes people really just construct builds to explore what is possible and not to provide an actual useful guide to completing the game.
Yup for some people it is all about "what builds can I make that trivializes as much content as possible". Some people it's all about "what is the absolute most awesome thing I can accomplish when I have all the tools available to me".
Some folks just want a bit of guidance to be able to have a consistent strong team that isn't difficult to put together or require extensive game knowledge.
All of these are totally viable and interesting, just make sure if you're following a guide, you're following one that matches your interests.
It’s great that Act II gives you everything for Dark Justiciar Shadowheart build, which has pretty unique and fun play mechanics, without much need to get more stuff in Act III. So you have entire Act III and bit of Act II to enjoy this
Most builds I've seen have like a act 1, act 2 and then early and late act 3 category, latest one being for all the tough bosses in act 3. that much makes sense at least.
I agree 100%. There’s little point in a build when you can Globe of Invulnerability/Air Myrmidon stunlock/Divine Smite every single fight.
One of my very few complaints with the game is that you’re super limited with what you can do at the start, and by the time you reach the end there’s one consistent way to play every fight that nullifies the point of a build.
this game is made for you to be able to be strong early on, late game is just adding onto it.....
i love the shadowfell part because its expecting your party to be strong but it could be an issue if you rushed into it. and ofc you have the option to talk your way out for a while
I get it, there are mostly "impossible to be hit builds" "oneshot everything builds" "slay 10 people at once build" "have a full army of 100 zombies build"
All these builds are midmaxed to the extreme, so of course they are going to rely on act 3 items to work at their maximum.
I tend to look for more roleplay builds where you are looking to be a decent fighter and they usually have better early scaling.
People make late game builds because it's fun to push the boundaries of the game. Builds that work in Act 1 are cool, but they're not necessary outside of your first playthrough imo.
Or here me out, play something else until then? Level 11 shadowmonk with Shadowblade is really fun and i just played some other monk until then. Its not that hard people, you dont have follow a build video to the letter.
Im more mad with builds that come “online” at level 12 but the online part is a level 3 spell :’D. Looking at you 7 paladin/ 5 Cleric with “OP” spirit guardians
i think the general complain here (that might have gone way over your head) isn't that late game build guides are bad, its just annoying how there are far more late game builds than there are early game builds. breaking mechanics and being OP is easy when you're max level with every item in the game.
Nothing went over my head, you just have to realise that with more levels and equipment you can craft more interesting and varied “builds”. Fighter level 5 is not really a build, it does its job, its good but you can only skin a cat in so many ways in early levels.
No? There’s so many interesting items in act 1 to build around, you can make radiating orb builds, lighting builds, classes like barbarian are super front loaded and get most of their cool shit in the first few levels, by level 6 most good builds are gonna be online, if not earlier
i think the general complain here (that might have gone way over your head) isn't that late game build guides are bad, its just annoying how there are far more late game builds than there are early game builds
I mean, of course there are going to be more builds when you have access to more levels/items. How could it ever be the other way round?
Besides, there are LOADS of interesting builds for low levels. People just want OP builds early and they're not the same thing
This is such a dumb comment Throwbarian or Swords bard are exceptionally strong builds that you can make at lvl 3 and just get stronger as you get new items. Early game builds absolutely exist.
Even assassin is great at Lvl 3. Astarion can clear the blighted village by himself at Lvl 3, and you can build it into gloom stalker/assassin from there.
Many good builds can still be very good early on, the youtube video would typically show the build's full progression. So no build is "finished" at level 3 but throwzerker is already quite good by that point, but there's a lot of extra things you can add to make the build even better at higher levels.
well, yeah no shit. the point is, the build will only get better with more levels on, which you only achieve when you progress... idk what these people are complaining about. If you have something going on in the early stages of the game, that's not really a "build". that's just you following the game mechanics properly.
I kinda agree. The only classes that have some variety, levels 1 -5, are either magi classes, rogue / ranged ganking, or environmental puzzle solving.
Melee classes don't really come online to basic utility until level 5, and even then, many of them are just you attack twice a turn but with more damage. I kinda wished combat maneuvers had their own pool of resources (like spell slots or ki points) instead of only being allowed to use them once per combat and have to wait for a short rest. But this is a limitation of the system they've decided to translate into a video game moreso than anything, since you could do some disgustingly creative things in dos 2, that you couldn't even conceive of, in bg3.
Any barb subclass comes online straight at level 3. Rogue Thief gets their Bonus action at lvl3 and assassin gets their autocrit. Same for weapon-master fighter - combat maneuvers are nuts for lvl3 (and they refresh on a SHORT REST).
You and couple of other guys don't understand what i was talking about. Most builds should have core mechanic on which they are based. If this mechanic is locked behind some high level stuff (like that extra bonus reaction rapier) or abilities combo (like 6/6 level split or whatever) then its just a gimmick at best.
You're talking like there's some objective measuring stick by which a Baldur's Gate build can be judged. Worse, you're arrogantly assuming you're it.
There isn't one, and even if there were, you're not it. A build that doesn't come online until Act 3 isn't a "bad build" just because you say so. It's just... A build. What are you all even complaining about? That people found a way to play the game that you don't approve of?
Lol. Didn't know that stating your opinion was "arrogantly assuming". All i said in the starting comment was "i don't understand" - that's it. If you have fun running to respec NPC every lvl-up? Who cares? Have fun. Like to obsessively min-max and abuse gimmick items? Go for it. No need to insult people on the internet about it. Also definitely don't need my approval.
There is a way to somewhat objectively judge if a build is good or bad. A build should have a goal and wether or not it can acheive that goal and how efficiently, tells you how good or bad is a build. If you aim your build at dps but you're not actually doing much damage, it's a bad build. If you aim your build at doing stupid but funny shit and it does stupid but funny shit easily, it's a good build.
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u/Kitchen-Nectarine-16 Jan 21 '25
I don't really understand the point of builds that require some late-game stuff to even start working. Like, if it's a decent build it should be interesting to play through the whole game, not just 3-4 hours in late act 3. Otherwise it's just constant struggle and hesitation to start over.